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THE LIFE 



OF 



REV. JOHN ALLEN, 




BETTER KNOWN AS 



"CAMP- MEETING JOHN," 



BY 



Rev. Stephen Allen, D. D. 



TO WHICH IS ADDED 



Iributes and €ul«gw«, 

Dr. Charles Cullis, Rev. R.B f l v Howard, Rev. 

Mark Trafton, D. D., Rev. J; W. Hamilton, 

D. D., Rev. William McDonald, Rev. 

L. B. Bates, D. D., and others. 




BOSTON: 

B. B. Russell, 57 Cornhill. 

1888. 






Copyrighted, 1888, by B. B. Russell 



ELEOTROTYPED AND PRINTED 
BY ROBINSON & STEPHENSON, 
91 OLIVER ST., BOSTON. 



J 





TO 

THE EAST LIVERMORE CAMP-MEETING 
ASSOCIATION, 

For which He Entertained a Special Attachment, 
the record of this 

LOVER OF CAMP-MEETINGS 

is 

RESPECTFULLY DEDICATED. 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction. 9 

Chapter I n-31 

PARENTAGE — EARLY LIFE — AT THE ACADEMY 

APPRENTICESHIP— EVIL HABITS — MARRIAGE — RE- 
FORM — CONVERSION ACTIVE CHRISTIAN WORK. 

Chapter II 3 2 S 

HE JOINS THE MAINE CONFERENCE — APPOINTED 

TO RUMFORD CIRCUIT — BECOMES DISCOURAGED 

CHEERED WITH SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS OF 
BROTHERS DUNN AND MORSE — LIVERMORE CIR- 
CUIT — DISCOURAGED AGAIN — CHEERED BY A RE- 
VIVAL. 

Chapter III. 5 1-69 

GOLDEN WEDDING — DEATH OF MRS. ALLEN — 
SECOND MARRIAGE — SERVED AS CHAPLAIN IN THE 
LEGISLATURE — DEATH OF SECOND WIFE — HIS 
HOUSE DESTROYED BY FIRE — REMOVES TO BOS- 
TON — FAILING HEALTH — DEATH AT EAST LIVER- 
MORE CAMP-MEETING. 



vi Contents. 



Chapter IV. ....... 70-86 

MEMORIAL SERVICE ADDRESSES, AND COMMUNICA- 
TIONS ADDITIONAL THERETO CONCERNING THE 
LATE JOHN ALLEN BY DR. CHARLES CULLIS AND 
REV. MARK TRAFTON. 



Chapter V. 87-101 

Biographical Sketch of Rev. John Allen, by 
Rev. Wm. McDonald. 

occupation and characteristics in early 

life — a camp-meeting sixty years ago 

john Allen's conversion — john as a contro- 
versialist — HIS MARRIAGES SUMMARY OF HIS 

PASTORAL WORK ANALYSIS OF HIS CHARACTER, 

WITH ILLUSTRATIVE ANECDOTES HIS EXPERI- 
ENCE IN " ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION " — HIS FOND- 
NESS FOR MEETINGS IN A CAMP. 

Chapter VI. 102-117 

Illustrations of the Character of Rev. John 
Allen, by Rev. R. B. Howard. 

AT THE FUNERAL AND BURIAL JOHN ALLEN'S 

CENTURY — THE PART HE PLAYED IN ITS PRO- 
GRESS REMEMBERED REPARTEES HIS LOVE 

OF CAMP-MEETINGS — ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION 

ANECDOTE — CHARACTERIZATION — QUAKER RIDGE 

REVIVAL, 1838 — HE HELPS BUILD A RAILROAD 

THE FARMINGTON REVIVAL, 1862 — ANECDOTE 

THE HOLINESS TENT — HIS TWO WIVES VISITS 

TO ROCKPORT AND WEST MEDFORD, MASS. ANEC- 
DOTE — CONFIDENCE IN THE UNION CAUSE — RELI- 
GIOUS CHARACTER AND PERSONAL QUALITIES. 



Contents. vii 

Chapter VII 1 18-126 

Rev. J. W. Hamilton on Camp-Meeting John 

Allen. 

THE OFFICE OF JOHN ALLEN IN THE M. E. CHURCH 
— HIS EARLY LIFE AND CONVERSION — HIS 
BROTHER CONVERTED TO METHODISM — PERSONAL 
DESCRIPTION OF JOHN ALLEN — QUALITY OF HIS 
WIT — HIS MODE OF PREACHING. 

Chapter VIII. ..... 127-140 

The Newspaper Press on Rev. John Allen. 

mr. allen's last journey — personal inci- 
dents of his last camp-meeting and illness 

the memorial window brief sketch of 

his life the funeral reminiscences his 

last will and testament — the boston 
globe's estimate of his character and 
popularity. 



ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Portrait, ........ Frontispiece. 

John Allen and his Tent, . . . . . Page 50 

John Allen's Residence, ..... "62 

Martha's Vineyard Camp-Meeting, ... "76 

Memorial Window, "128 



INTRODUCTION. 



Methodism has been remarkable for original 
characters in its ministry. Not infrequently, men of 
limited advantages, by force of natural genius, 
through the discipline of the itinerancy, have attained 
to eminent usefulness in the ministry without the aid 
of scholastic training or college honors. 

Of this class of ministers none, perhaps, have 
been more widely known or more favorably received 
by the people than the late Rev. John Allen, His 
career has been so remarkable, as well as useful, that 
a brief sketch of his life and labors can hardly fail to 
interest the public, and to serve the cause he labored 
so long and so successfully to promote. For this 
reason, this small volume is offered to the public. 



10 INTRODUCTION. 

For several years previous to his death, Mr. Allen 
had kept a journal in which he had recorded the 
leading incidents of his life. The fire which deso- 
lated the village of Farmington, in October, 1886, 
consumed his dwelling together with his journal, 
library and many of his personal effects. This 
volume, therefore, contains only the scanty gleanings 
of his remarkable history ; yet enough has been 
gathered to enable the reader to form a correct 
estimate of the man and his career. 

S. Allen. 
Winthrofa Me., Feb. 10, 1888. 



MEMORIAL 



-*- 



CAMP MEETING JOHN ALLEN. 



CHAPTER I. 

PARENTAGE EARLY LIFE AT THE ACADEMY 

APPRENTICESHIP EVIL HABITS MARRIAGE RE- 
FORM CONVERSION ACTIVE CHRISTIAN WORK . 



John Allen was born in Farmington, Maine, 
March 7, 1795, and died suddenly at the East Liver- 
more Camp Meeting, August 31, 1887, aged ninety- 
three years and six months. 

His father, Captain William Allen, was of Puritan 
ancestry, and was born in Chilmark, Mass., a son of 
Deacon James Allen of that place. Captain Allen was 
a man of more than ordinary intelligence and force of 
character. He received a liberal endowment from his 



12 Life of John Allen. 

father, and commenced active life with unusually 
flattering prospects. 

In 1779 he was married to Miss Love Coffin, from 
one of the first families in Edgartown, Mass. She was 
a delicate woman, comely in person, lively and 
agreeable in manners, and an excellent housekeeper. 
Their fair prospects for life were soon clouded by 
adversity. He invested his property largely in a 
maritime enterprise. His vessel and cargo were cap- 
tured by a British cruiser. Other similar enterprises 
were equally disastrous, and he was reduced to great 
embarras ment, with an increasing family upon his 
hands. In this extremity, aided by a few hundred 
dollars from his father, he sought to retrieve his for- 
tune in the wilderness of Maine. He selected a loca- 
tion in the northerly part of Farmington, made a 
clearing and built a rude log cabin on the margin of a 
small stream, which he supposed would afford suffi- 
cient power to run a fulling mill, which he looked for- 
ward to as a principal source of income. The next 
year, 1792, in the fall, the family, consisting of him- 
self, wife, five children and an Indian woman and 
her son as servants, removed to their new home in the 
wilderness, leaving two of their children with their 



Life of John Allen. 13 

friends at Martha's Vineyard. But their misfortunes 
did not end with their removal to Maine. 

The selection of land for a farm was unfortunate. 
The land was swampy, hard to cultivate, and yielded 
but a scant return. The stream failed to afford 
sufficient water to run his mill. He built another 
several miles distant, at Farmington Falls, and in a 
few weeks the mill was carried away by a freshet. 

In this darkest period in the history of the family, 
the subject of this sketch, the eighth of a family often 
children, first saw the light in the rude log cabin, 
March 7, 1795. 

John was a bright and lively child. Some years 
ago, a veiy aged woman said to him: "I saw you 
when you were a baby, and I thought you the pret- 
tiest child I ever saw, but how you have changed !" 
Mr. Allen often repeated this equivocal compliment 
with much mirthfulness. 

Soon after the birth of this child Captain Allen se- 
lected a more suitable lot for a farm, some six miles 
further in the country, built another log cabin and re- 
moved his family to their newly prepared home upon 
a plantation, subsequently organized as a town, and 
called Industry. Here, by the assistance of his older 



14 Life of John Allen. 

children, he cleared a farm and succeeded, with much 
hard work and rigid economy, in providing for his 
family. About this time he made a profession of re- 
ligion, joined and founded the Congregational church ; 
and for thirty years served as deacon and was one of 
the leading men of the town. The children, notwith- 
standing the hard experience of their early life and the 
almost total lack of school privileges, all attained to 
honorable and useful positions in society ; most of 
them served for some years as teachers of district 
schools. One of the sons graduated from Bowdoin 
College and the Theological Seminary at Andover, 
and became a Congregational minister and mission- 
ary to the Choctows. 

There was no room for idleness in the family. As 
soon as the children were old enough to render any 
service, their tasks were assigned them. At that time, 
healthy children were considered capable of earning 
their living at seven years of age. The studies of the 
children were pursued mostly at home. An occasional 
school was taught for a few weeks during the year, in 
a log house or sometimes a barn, within a few miles 
of their home, in which they received very scanty and 
imperfect instruction. 



Life of John Allen. 15 

John was small in stature but uncommonly vigorous, 
and from early childhood accustomed to hard work 
and scanty fare. He was always fond of fun, and dis- 
posed to mingle mirthfulness with the tedious hours 
of toil. He inherited much of his mother's lively and 
cheerful disposition. His aptness at repartee was 
truly "mother wit." He excelled in rustic sports, 
was fond of company, and a welcome companion in 
the merry-making gatherings of the young people of 
the neighborhood. 

At the age of eighteen he, with an older brother, 
was sent a short time to Farmington Academy, then 
taught by Preceptor Hall, an eccentric Scotchman. 
His proficiency in studies was somewhat hindered 
by his irrepressible love of fun. While at the acad- 
emy, his father with much solicitude, inquired of the 
Preceptor how the boys were getting on in their 
studies ? The teacher replied : ' ' Harry is studious and 
will make a scholar, but as for John you will never 
make much of him, he is so full of the divil." Not- 
withstanding this discouraging account, he made 
sufficient proficiency to obtain a certificate of his 
qualifications to teach a district school. While at the 
academy, he made his first effort at public declamation. 



16 Life of John Allen. 

He selected an extract from an oration, and as he 
supposed, thoroughly committed it to memory. At the 
appointed time, he marched to the platform, made his 
bow and commenced: "Fellow citizens, ladies and 
gentlemen," but could not recollect the next word. 
He tried again, " Ladies and gentlemen, fellow 
citizens !" but could proceed no further. In utter 
confusion he returned to his seat, "bringing down the 
house," as he afterward described the occasion, not 
much to his comfort or credit as an orator. 

On leaving the academy he engaged a district 
school, and for several years taught school winters 
with good success, and worked upon the farm, or at 
his trade, which he afterwards learned, during the 
summer. 

School discipline, at that time, was largely en- 
forced by muscular power. The man who could 
most successfully manage the turbulent grown up boys 
was considered the best teacher. In this kind of dis- 
cipline he excelled. His compact, muscular frame, 
hardened by toil and feats of agility in wrestling and 
other sports, gave him a special advantage; and his 
successful encounters with disorderly scholars secured 
for him a first-class reputation as a teacher. At one 



Life of John Allen. 17 

time a large scholar, who had been troublesome to 
previous teachers, began to conduct in a disorderly 
manner and insolently set his authority at defiance. 
Mr. Allen immediately called upon three or four of 
the older scholars and said to them " Here is a sus- 
picious character who wants to be put outdoors. Put 
him out, and be careful not to hurt him," and out 
he went, sprawling in the mud. " He attempted to 
return" said Mr. Allen, in describing the scene, 
"but I forbade him, saying this is my castle : if you 
come in here you are a dead man." The young fel- 
low went home and reported to his father, who soon 
came in a rage and attempted to enter the house, but 
the teacher refused him admittance, saying: "Your 
son made some disturbance in school this morning, 
and we are not prepared for company." The man 
went home, harnessed his team, and drove twenty 
miles to consult a lawyer and commence a prosecution 
against the teacher. But the lawyer advised him to 
make the best of the affair, and get a better teacher next 
year. In the meanwhile Mr. Allen called the district 
together and the people approved the course of their 
teacher. He was employed to teach the same school 
the next year at advanced wages. 



18 Life of John Allen. 

At another time a large girl disobeyed orders and 
lied about it, and afterwards boasted that she had 
fooled the master. The next day he called her to ac- 
count and required a confession of her fault, threaten- 
ing immediate punishment. The girl refused, he 
took her hand and raised his ferule ; at that moment 
an older sister of the girl arose and said, "You shan't 
strike my sister." I ordered her to sit down, and the 
sister immediately said, " I am sorry I lied." " So! 
am I," said the teacher, " and all was peace." Soon 
after this affair, he went to board where the larger 
girl worked, and inquired of the girl what she would 
have done if he had struck her sister. Said she, " I 
should have tackled you, and you would have had a 
hard time of it." " Well," said he " I should like to 
know which is the stronger." So it was agreed that 
they should make a trial of their strength by wrest- 
ling. The stalwart girl readily accepted the challenge, 
supposing she could easily throw the little school- 
master. The word was given by the man of the 
house, and the combatants grappled. He was a 
skilled wrestler, and put forth his best efforts; "by 
a sudden trip and twitch, and down she came 
like a log across a chair, splitting it in pieces, and 



Life of John Allen. 19 

somewhat laming her. I paid for the chair and we 
agreed to say nothing about it, and that she should 
not boast any more about flogging the master." 

At the age of nineteen he left his father's home 
to serve an apprenticeship at the trade of clothier or 
fuller. His master was a skilful workman, but a man 
of occasional intemperate habits. The apprentice 
learned more than was bargained for, and fell into the 
intemperate habits of the master. He also became a 
user of tobacco and of profane language. 

For several years he continued, most of the time 
working at his trade, or upon the farm in the summer 
and teaching school in the winter. At one time he 
was engaged for a season in driving a stage from 
Camden to Bucksport. His associates, during this 
period of his life, were helpful only in the wrong 
direction. His course was reckless, and though he 
was not what would then be called a drunkard or an 
outcast, he indulged quite freely in intoxicating drinks, 
and was fast going in the way of ruin. To quiet his 
fears of the future and get rid of the religious 
influence of his parental home, he adopted the theory 
of Universalism. At first the more conservative views 
of Winchester, but in a short time he followed the 



20 Life of John Allen. 

teacher of this doctrine to the more liberal opinion of 
Ballou. His mind, however, was not wholly at rest ; 
his conscience was often aroused. At one time he 
was greatly disturbed by a vivid dream, in which he 
saw illustrated with remarkable distinctness, the frail 
foundation upon which he was building his hopes. 
But he shook off his fears as well as he could and 
kept on in his career of sin and neglect. His jovial 
disposition drew around him unprofitable associates 
and false teachers. 

In 1820 he was married to Miss Annah S. Hersey, 
of Farmington, an intelligent and estimable young 
woman, and established himself in business at 
Farmington as a clothier. The influence of his wife 
was highly favorable. Three daughters and a son 
were born to them. He had a pleasant home, and 
had the strongest reason for leading a sober and 
virtuous life. The children all lived to be settled in 
life and gained respectable positions in society. All 
but one are now living in Boston or vicinity, except 
the eldest daughter, who is now in Europe with her 
daughter, Lillian Norton Gower, the famous singer. 

In the year \§2\ he heard a temperance lecture, 
and immediately resolved to abandon the use of 



Life of John Allen. 21 

intoxicating liquors. He signed the pledge and 
became an earnest worker in the .cause of tem- 
perance. Soon afterward he listened to the reading 
of a temperance essay written by Dr. Hicock, in which 
the writer declared that "a man could not be 
thoroughly temperate who was a slave to tobacco." 
The argument was convincing. With characteristic 
promptness he emptied his mouth and his pockets of 
the filthy weed and ever after abstained from this vile 
indulgence. 

In 1825, induced by curiosity, he attended a 
camp-meeting in the town of Industry, though the 
motive which led him to the meeting was not entirely 
curiosity. 

The writer of this sketch once heard him say that 
as he was going to the camp-meeting, he earnestly 
prayed that if he was mistaken in his religious belief 
he might be convinced of his error at the meeting. 

The meeting was in a forest in the easterly part of 
Industry, on the land of Captain Thompson, exceed- 
ingly primitive in all its appointments. The 
preachers' stand was rudely constructed of poles and 
unplaned boards at very small expense. The seats 
were rough planks resting upon logs. There were 



22 Life of John Allen. 

some fifteen or sixteen society tents of cotton cloth 
stretched upon frames, which served for dining-rooms 
at meal times, lodging at night, and for prayer 
meeting in the intermediate periods. 

The preaching was earnest, the prayers ardent, 
and the singing hearty. The grove resounded with 
songs of praise and shouts of joy. Mr. Allen was 
much interested in the services, and soon became 
deeply convicted of his sins and of his appalling 
danger. Upon invitation of Father Newell, he went 
forward, knelt at the altar and earnestly sought 
for pardon. He continued for some time seeking, 
his distress became overwhelming. He arose and 
earnestly entreated all who had access to the throne 
of grace to pray for him, till at length his mind became 
calm. He ventured to say "there is peace," when 
immediately he was filled with rapture, and rushed up 
the aisle like the lame man in scripture, "leaping and 
praising God." 

This was no transient excitement. The change 
was thorough and abiding. The whole course of his 
life was reversed. His joy was " unspeakable." He 
immediately commenced an earnest Christian life, and 
declared to all whom he met what great things the 



Life of John Allen. 23 

Lord had done for him ; and to the close of life he 
always loved to rehearse the wonderful deliverance he 
received at this memorable camp-meeting. Ever 
after, the camp-meeting seemed to him the next place 
to heaven. 

About a month after his conversion he gave an 
account of this important event in his life in the follow- 
ing letter to his sister, the wife of Rev. Thomas 
Merrill, a Baptist minister, then settled in Prospect, 
Maine. 

"Phillips, Maine, Aug. 7, 1825. 
"My Dear Sister : — 

I take this opportunity to inform you of some 
of the dealings of God to me of late. You well know 
how wicked and sinful I have been through life, and 
how little I have attended to the means of grace. 
But it has pleased God, I humbly trust, to show me 
the error of my ways, and lead me to give myself to 
him, and to plead for his mercy and obtain the 
forgiveness of my sins. 

"It was at a camp-meeting in Industry, Maine, that 
my mind was wrought upon in a wonderful manner. 
I found that unless I had religion I must be eternally 
miserable. I was led to ask a minister to pray for 
me, and I went forward publicly in the congregation 
to be prayed for, and tried to pray for myself. But I 



24 Life of John Allen. 

could get no relief that day. The next morning I felt 
melted into tenderness to hear them in different tents 
singing and praising God, and I felt an anxiety to 
realize what they felt. Sometimes I was resolved to 
seek till I obtained, and then again I would fall into a 
stupid frame. However, after sermon, (this, I think, 
was the last day of June), those who desired an 
interest in Christ were requested to go forward to be 
prayed for, and I felt a strong impression to be one. 
But the cross was too great to expose myself before a 
thousand people. Then I was so afraid I had no 
suitable conviction, and thought I should be making 
false pretenses and acting the hypocrite, and it seemed 
like parting my bones asunder. However, by the 
assistance of Divine grace, and the encouragement of 
the good people, I went down before God with 
confession and shame. I thought I would do any- 
thing the Lord would have me, if I could but receive 
pardon. I thought I would ask the Lord to have 
mercy, w T hen, no sooner had the words escaped my 
lips, than I was raised from my seat, and cried to the 
Lord with all my power to have mercy upon me. I 
saw r myself sinking into despair with no possible way 
of escape, w r hen in the height of my agony, a perfect 
calm pervaded my whole frame. I looked around 
and said ' There is -peace,' and no sooner had I said the 
word than, Oh ! the praises of God which flowed into 
my soul. 



Life of John Allen. 25 

I thought I had as good a right to leap and praise 
the Lord as the lame man who was healed. Oh ! the 
fulness of Christ ! and the way of life and salvation 
seemed so plain that I thought I could persuade every 
one I might see to repent. My anxiety for others 
then became equal to that which I felt but a few 
moments before for myself. I came along home, 
praising God and telling almost every one 1 saw what 
wonders the Lord had done for me, a poor, wicked 
sinner. And Oh ! the wonderful seasons I have 
realized since that time, and even this day, in a meet- 
ing, I was visited anew with Divine grace, which 
caused me to praise Him aloud in the congregation. 

Tell the people in your vicinity, that God for 
Christ's sake has forgiven me all my sins, and I pray 
that he will forgive me the wrong I have done them. 
Give my love to aU the Christian friends in Prospect, 
and those who have not experienced the pardoning 
love of God., though they may be great sinners, yet 
God, for Christ's sake, can forgive them if they will 
come unto Him in repentance and faith in the blood 
of the Lord Jesus Christ, breaking off their sins by 
righteousness, and their iniquities by turning unto the 
Lord. Adieu, 

John Allen." 
Mr. Allen returned from the camp-meeting, filled 
with his newly found joy, to his home, and declared 



26 Life of John Allen. 

to his family the wonderful change he had experienced, 
and commenced at once a course of Christian labor. 
He visited his neighbors, prayed with them, and 
exhorted them to seek the Lord, and extended his 
visits, calling at every house for several miles around. 
He established a prayer meeting at his own house, 
which soon became crowded to overflowing. One of 
his neighbors offering the use of his house, having 
much better accommodations, the meeting was accord- 
ingly removed. Soon this room became crowded, 
and the meeting was removed to the Congregational 
church at the village, where a union protracted 
meeting was held, resulting in the most extensive 
revival ever witnessed in that place. Most of the 
converts were received into the Congregational and 
Baptist churches. The Methodist having no organi- 
zation in the village and only a small class in the 
upper part of the town. One person said to him, 
" Brother Allen, you are only helping the Congrega- 
tionalists." He replied, " I thank God that I can help 
anybody." 

Mr. Allen extended his labors as far as Allen's 
mills in Industry. At this place a protracted meeting 
was held, and under Methodist auspices a revival 



Life of John Allen. 27 

occurred in which a considerable number of persons 
were converted. 

Rev. Isaac Rogers, then pastor of the Congrega- 
tional church at Farmington, entered into the 
revival work with great friendliness. Mr. Rogers 
was a remarkably plain and good natured minister, 
much given to good natured pleasantry. Meeting 
Mr. Allen one day he said, " Brother John, you get 
them converted, and we will take care of them. I 
don't claim any further than the stream in Industry." 

The next year after his conversion he attended a 
camp-meeting and received a wonderful spiritual 
baptism, and ever after he remained a firm believer in 
the Wesleyan doctrines of Christian perfection, though 
his experience was not always up to that high 
standard. 

About this time he received an exhorter's license 
and discnarged the duties of that office with great 
faithfulness and success. His earnest religious work 
was not altogether agreeable to his wife. According 
to her ideas, his zeal was extravagant, and in this 
opinion, his family friends generally shared. His 
religious work took him much from home at a time in 
the history of his family, when his presence at home 



28 Life of John Allen, 

was much needed. When he informed his wife that 
he believed he was called "to preach the gospel," 
"you look like preaching the gospel ! " was her instant 
reply. It seemed to her preposterous, for a man with- 
out education, at the age of thirty-five or over, to enter 
upon the sacred work of the ministry. Though she 
rejoiced greatly in his reform from evil habits and his 
conversion, his conviction of duty became to her a 
sore trial. His call to the ministry, however, seemed 
to him imperative, though his conscious lack of 
suitable qualifications together with the objections of 
his companion, cost him a severe struggle. His 
remarkable success as an exhorter, and the advice of 
his brethren in the .church, enabled him to settle the 
question. 

He received license as a local preacher in 1828, 
and entered upon the work of the ministry with great 
earnestness, not without misgivings as to the propriety 
of his assuming this sacred and responsible calling. 
So much so, that at the close of the year, he requested 
the Quarterly Conference to discontinue him as a local 
preacher, and allow him to resume the office of 
exhorter. His efforts at preaching were sometimes 
mortifying failures. He was an excellent exhorter, 



Life of John Allen. 29 

but preaching was to him a very different thing. 
With all his liveliness and wit, he was naturally diffi- 
dent, and when he stood up before an audience to 
preach a sermon, he was often greatly embarrassed. 
More than once, as with his first declamation at 
the academy, he was obliged to close his discourse 
before he had fairty commenced. At one time he 
expected to be called upon to preach at a watch 
meeting, and made very careful preparation, dividing 
his subject into three grand divisions, and each grand 
division into three sub-divisions, and carefully studied 
his sermon. According to his expectation, he was 
requested to preach. After the preliminary services, 
he announced his text, the plan of his discourse and 
the first division, and commenced his sermon. He 
soon began to be anxious about the second division ; 
his mind became confused, his well studied sermon 
vanished, "Like the fabric of a vision," and he 
was obliged to stop. He offered a brief prayer and 
sat down in great mortification. A good brother in 
the congregation joined in prayer. In the meantime, 
he recovered his self-possession and resumed his 
discourse, and went on without regard to division or 
sub-divtsion, giving an earnest address. At the 



30 Life of John Allen. 

close, a good woman arose and " thanked the Lord 
for the truth she had heard," saying that she had no 
doubt the Lord had called the minister to preach. 
"To -preach nothing" was his instant mental reply. 

These mortifying failures led him sometimes to 
believe that he had mistaken his calling. He was 
thoroughly convinced, at least, that he could not preach 
like other ministers. His mind, like a balky horse, 
would not work in the harness of any prescribed 
method in preaching, and he was obliged to allow his 
thoughts a free rein. His preaching consisted largely 
of earnest exhortation, in which his camp-meeting 
experience often served him a good purpose. He had 
an abundant store of anecdotes which he used with 
great skill, and his mind was well stored with 
scripture. To relieve his embarrassment he adopted 
the practice of offering a brief prayer after announc- 
ing his text. This exponent was a help to him in 
collecting his thoughts. 

He continued in the work of a local preacher seven 
years, holding meetings on the sabbath and working 
at his trade during the week to support his family. 
His services were gratuitous. It was generally 
thought at that time that the privilege of preaching 



Life of John Allen. 31 

was a sufficient reward for the services of a local 
preacher. He records in his journal that one year he 
" received the enormous sum of fifty cents for preach- 
ing." He was often engaged with the pastors in 
protracted meetings. At that time " Four days' meet- 
ings" were much in use, usually resulting in great 
good to the church. For some time he was accus- 
tomed with other local preachers to hold such meet- 
ings. On several occasions he had for his associates 
Rev. John Norton, a venerable local preacher now 
living in Farmington, and two other local preachers 
whose Christian names were John. The meetings 
they held were called the "Four Johns "meetings. He 
was an earnest worker, and his labors were eminently 
successful. His success naturally suggested to his 
mind the propriety of devoting himself entirely to the 
work of the ministry, and he was advised to offer 
himself for itinerant work in the Conference. 



32 Life of John Allen. 



CHAPTER II. 



HE JOINS THE MAINE CONFERENCE APPOINTED TO 

RUMFORD CIRCUIT BECOMES .DISCOURAGED 

CHEERED WITH SYMPATHY AND PRAYERS OF 
BROTHERS DUNN AND MORSE LIVERMORE CIR- 
CUIT DISCOURAGED AGAIN CHEERED BY A RE- 
VIVAL. 



At the session of the Maine Conference in 1835, 
held at Bangor, Mr. Allen was received as a member 
on trial, ordained deacon and appointed to Rumford 
circuit, which then embraced five towns and planta- 
tions. He entered upon his itinerant labor with great 
earnestness, but not without misgivings on account of 
his conscious lack of qualifications for his work. At 
one time during this year he became entirely dis- 
heartened, and requested his presiding elder to excuse 
him from his charge. His request was not granted. 
He was encouraged to go oil with his labor by the 
sympathy and pikers of Brothers C. W. Morse and 



Life of John Allen. 33 

R. B. Dunn. He received this year for his salary 
$160. The next year he was appointed to Liver- 
more circuit, and here again he lost heart, but was 
cheered by a gracious revival in which fifty persons 
were converted, two of whom subsequently became 
members of the Conference, the brothers F. A. and 
N. A. Soule. His appointments from this time were 
as follows, viz. : Monmouth circuit, two years ; Phillips 
circuit, Solon circuit, Industry circuit, Dexter and 
Exeter circuit, Farmington circuit, Wilton circuit, 
Little Androscoggin Mission, two years ; East Read- 
field and Sidney circuit, two years ; Fayette circuit, 
two years ; New Portland circuit, including New 
Vineyard, Kingfield, Dead River, Jerusalem, "and 
the hill country round about," as he described his field 
of labor. 

These extensive circuits required a great amount 
of pastoral work, travel and exposure, especially 
as his family, most of the time, remained at 
their home in Farmington, requiring of him frequent 
journeys home, sometimes in the depth of winter. 
His salary during these seventeen years of continuous 
itinerant labor, without vacation, varied from $160 
to $35°* I n m ost of these charges he witnessed 
3 



34 Life of John Allen. 

gracious revivals of religion. In several instances 
one hundred were converted and gathered into the 
church. In reply to his friends who inquired about 
the compensation he received, he wa c accustomed to 
reply, fc 'I receive half pay, and the people receive 
half preaching, so we come out even." 

He never complained of his hard work or scanty 
remuneration, but pressed on with his work through 
sunshine and storm, rejoicing that souls were saved 
and the Redeemer's cause advanced through his 
labors. In his prime he was a good singer. This 
gift was used by him to good advantage. His children 
inherited the same talent, and when his family 
accompanied him to his appointments they constituted 
an excellent choir. 

In 1852, in consequence of financial embarrass- 
ment, he requested and received a location, and for a 
few years acted as agent for insurance companies, 
preaching in the meanwhile on the Sabbath, as there 
was opportunity. While on the Farmington circuit, in 
1843, he was prostrated by severe sickness, and for 
some time his friends had small hope of his recovery. 
He slowly rallied and resumed his labors. In 1854, 
after two years of location, he was admitted to the 



Life of John Allen. 35 

East Maine Conference, and for two years served as 
tract agent, at the same time rendering valuable ser- 
vice in protracted meetings. In 1856 he again located 
and supplied Mercer and Farmington Falls. In 1857 
he was re-admitted to the Maine Conference, and for 
two years labored upon the Fairfield circuit. One hun- 
dred were converted under his ministry in that charge. 
In 1859 h e was appointed to Newsharon and Farming- 
ton Falls — thirty or forty conversions. In i860 he 
again located. In 1862 he was re-admitted to the Maine 
Conference, a supernumerary without appointment, so 
as to leave him at liberty to engage in evangelistic 
work wherever there mio-ht be a call for his services. 
In this work he rendered acceptable service. In 1863 
and a part of the next year he served as chaplain in 
the Christian Commission. He was stationed at 
Camp Stonemen. His readiness and wit served him 
a good purpose in his intercourse with the soldiers. 
He was busily occupied in holding meetings, visiting 
the sick and conducting revival services. 

While engaged in this work the physician, who had 
been in the habit of insulting the chaplain, commenced 
asking him impertinent questions. Mr. x\llen bore the 
insolent, treatment quietly for a while. At length he 



36 Life of John Allen, 

said to the doctor in reply, that he knew a man down 
east who got along nicely by minding his own 
business, and said Mr. Allen, "I propose to take 
the same course myself." The doctor did not care 
to expose himself to a flank movement of that sort 
again, and the venerable chaplain suffered no further 
annoyance from that source. 

The following extract from a letter to his wife 
dated "Washington, D. C, March 23, 1864, Post 
Hospital, Camp Stonemen," affords some information 
as to his duties : 

" As for myself I am well, with a continual round 
of duties ; passing through the wards, looking after 
those that are very sick, encouraging them and 
writing to their friends. Some one dies almost every 
day. I send the sad intelligence to their friends. 
Heart-rending incidents often occur. On the Sabbath 
I have a double duty, but as yet I have stood it well. 
Our reformation in the chapel progresses well. New 
cases about every night, but my labors are so multi- 
plied in the hospital that I threw off some of the 
responsibility in the chapel upon others. ... I 
suppose I shall be under the necessity of going home 
on a furlough the first of May if I come back again. 

Affectionately, 

John Allen." 



Life of John Allen. 37 

It is quite evident that he attended to his duties as 
chaplain with great fidelity, and that the office he held 
was no sinecure. Letters from the soldiers, who were 
converted or encouraged through his labors, proved 
his services not to have been in vain. On his return 
from his work at Camp Stonemen, he resumed his 
evangelistic work wherever his services were called 
for till 1876, when his name was entered upon the roll 
of superannuates where it remained till the close of 
life. Though reckoned as a superannuate, he was 
uncommonly vigorous, capable of great endurance, 
and retained his cheerfulness and ready wit till the 
last hour of his life. 

His changing relations to the Conference were not 
in consequence of failing health nor fickleness of pur- 
pose, but partly on account of pecuniary embarrass- 
ment and partly from a conscious sense of his lack of 
qualifications for the work of a continuous pastoral 
ministry. Notwithstanding his habitual cheerfulness 
and overflowing good nature, there was an undertone 
of self depreciation which was sometimes painfully 
depressing. He believed, and with good reason, that 
he was better adapted to evangelistic work than to the 
regular work of the ministry. 



38 Life of John Allen, 

He was ever ready and happy to render assistance 
in revival work, and for many years he was often 
called upon to assist the pastors in Boston and vicinity 
in their protracted meetings. In these places his 
services were highly appreciated. He had been 
uncommonly successful during the years of his itiner- 
ant service. Seldom did he close a year's labor with- 
out witnessing a revival. His labors as an evan- 
gelist were no less successful. 

Notwithstanding his deficient education and his 
lack of other qualifications, of which he was always 
painfully conscious, he possessed many admirable 
qualities which rendered his career on the whole 
eminently successful. He had a remarkably healthy 
body ; small in stature, in early life he was unusually 
active and vigorous. His muscles, by the discipline of 
labor and athletic sports, became compact and 
hardened. In middle life he took on more stalwart 
physical proportions. He was erect and quick in 
motion even to extreme old age, and had great power 
of endurance. He had a cheerful and sunny disposi- 
tion, and a readiness at repartee and a rich fund of 
anecdotes which made him an agreeable guest in the 
families where he labored, and a welcome visitor in 



Life of John Allen. 39 

public gatherings. He had a thorough religious 
experience. He was always an earnest worker and 
had great skill in pointing inquirers to Christ. These 
qualities were more than an offset to his deficiencies 
and secured for him a grand success. 

He had a keen sense of the ludicrous. His wit 
was always spontaneous and good natured, so that his 
keenest strokes of satire seldom gave offense, though 
they usually silenced an antagonist. 

Soon after his conversion he met a Congregational 
minister of the old school, at his father's home. The 
good minister plied him with severe and searching 
questions as to the genuineness of his experiences, till 
he complained of the severity. " If the tree be well 
rooted," said the minister, "it will not be harmed if 
we shake it." "But," repeated the young convert, 
"the master said to his disciples ' feed my lambs,' not 
go to shaking them." 

Once, while in charge of a circuit, his presiding 
elder was late at the Saturday meeting, the congrega- 
tion was kept waiting some time. At length the 
elder arrived, chilled by his long and cold ride, and 
preached a sermon more remarkable for length than 
warmth, from the text, "Feed mv lambs." At the con- 



40 Life of John Allen. 

elusion of the sermon, Mr. Allen arose and remarked 
that he had learned from experience " that in order 
that lambs may thrive we must give them little at a 
time, feed them often and give their food warm" The 
elder felt the rebuke, knew he deserved it, but had too 
much good sense to take offense. Once, upon invita- 
tion, he went to preach in a Congregational pulpit in 
Massachusetts. A former pastor, an aged minister, 
seated with him, just as he was about to commence his 
sermon, said to him in a whisper, " are you a long 
preacher?" " Five feet seven inches," was the immedi- 
ate reply. 

At a ministerial meeting once held in Farmington, 
the subject of Methodist economy was under discus- 
sion. A Baptist minister present was invited to give 
his views upon the subject. He arose and said, in sub- 
stance, that while there were many excellent things in 
Methodism, he thought there was too much machinery 
in it. 

This afforded Mr. Allen too good a chance for 
a rejoinder to allow it to pass without reply. He arose 
and said, that "though the Methodist church had 
more machinery than the Baptists it did not require 
so much water to run it." 



Life of John Allen. 41 

Mr. Allen was much interested in the great politi- 
cal questions of the day. In i860 he was present at a 
prayer meeting in Farmington ; intelligence had just 
been received of the nomination of Abraham Lincoln 
as a candidate for the presidency. He could not well 
conceal his joy at the event, and spoke of the refresh- 
ing news from afar as a cause of rejoicing. A meek- 
spirited man of the opposite political party arose and 
said, that though he could not say much, he " felt it a 
privilege to stand up and vote on the Lord's side." 
Mr. Allen was immediately upon his feet. "I have 
been much interested," said he, " in what Brother R. 
has said about voting on the Lord's side, but I think 
before going to the polls to vote, we should be very 
careful to ascertain on which side the Lord is." 

A lawyer of opposite politics, about the same time, 
said to him, Mr. Allen " on which side are you going 
to vote? for I intend to vote against you." u Iam 
going to vote on the right side," said Mr. Allen ; "on 
which side are you going to vote?" "You have me 
this time," said the lawyer. When the question of 
prohibition was before the people, a toper with red 
face met him and said, " I shall vote against you on 
this question." " Your face voted before you spoke," 



42 Life of John Allen. 

was the reply. A blatant rum drinker in his pres- 
ence objected to ministers meddling with politics, and 
inquired what the bible says. " It says," replied Mr. 
Allen, " get thee behind me satan, thou art an offense 
unto me." 

A few years ago, at a session of Maine Confer- 
ence, he was called upon to preach on very short 
notice one afternoon. During the service the secre- 
taries were seated in the chancel busily engaged upon 
the records, and occasionally conversing with each 
other in a whisper. Mr. Allen commenced his dis- 
course, and endured the disturbance for a while. At 
length he stopped, and looking over the pulpit said, 
" I fear I am disturbing the brothers down there." 
There was no more whispering by the secretaries, 
and he went on with his sermon. 

Once at a conference a resolution was introduced 
upon the subject of ministers' vacations. The im- 
portance of such vacation was strongly argued. Mr. 
Allen arose and said that, "When he joined the confer- 
ence the preachers were expected to preach three 
times on the Sabbath and once almost every other day 
of the week, and the minister's vacation was unheard 
of. But now, our young preachers preach only one 



Life of John Allen. 43 

sermon a week, and that almost kills them, and nearly 
kills their audience, so that vacations have become 
necessary." 

His scripture recitations were strikingly impressive 
and natural. They seemed like new inspirations, and 
charmed alike the cultivated and rude auditors by the 
wonderful elocution not taught in schools. His 
rendering of hymns was equally impressive. He was 
often called upon at camp-meetings and other occa- 
sions of public gatherings to recite portions of 
scripture. 

" How often at camp-meeting has he been known, 
at the close of a dull sermon, to spring to his feet, and 
in thrilling tones to repeat, ' Blow ye the trumpet, 
blow ;' or, ' Come sinner, to the gospel feast.' At once 
every eye would be fixed upon him, and smiles and 
tears and hearty amens would come from every side, 
and the whole face of things be changed, as nature, 
parched and dusty, is freshened and cleaned by a 
copious shower."* 

He was a great lover of camp-meetings, and during 
his fifty-seven years of his religious life, he attended 

* Rev. W. McDonald in Zion's Herald. 



44 Life of John Allen. 

three hundred and sixty-seven such meetings. On 
these occasions he was specially at home, "His foot 
was upon his native heath," and he always entered 
into the work of the meeting with great earnestness. 
His favorite text on such occasions was, "As much 
as in me is, I am ready to preach the gospel to you 
that are at Rome also." His sermons, on these occa- 
sions, were less remarkable for logical arrangement 
and profound thought than for earnestness and 
practical truth. They abounded with scripture quota- 
tions and familiar illustrations. They were exhorta- 
tions rather than sermons, and they seldom failed of 
producing good results. No man was more cordially 
welcomed at the camp-meetings no man contributed 
so much to its success, and no one will be more missed 
on such occasions. Always cheerful, buoyant, earnest 
and overflowing with good natured wit ; his presence 
was a benediction. 

He was no grumbler, and was never disposed to 
find fault. Once a man in his presence was indulging 
in bitter censure. Mr. Allen replied to him " It does 
not require much religion to find fault. I have some- 
times known persons to find fault who had no religion 
at all." 



Life of John Allen. 45 

The young preachers always received from him 
generous sympathy and encouragement. There was 
nothing cynical in his nature ; even to extreme old 
age, his spirits were fresh and genial. He often at- 
tended the meetings of the Young Men's Christian 
Association and claimed membership, often remarking 
that "They take in the young men till they are 
eighty years old." He was young in spirit till past 
ninety. 

He was an ardent worker in the temperance cause, 
and deeply interested in all other moral reform enter- 
prises and in all subjects of public interest, and for 
many years he was in the habit of attending conven- 
tions and other assemblies, and he was often called 
upon for remarks and seldom failed to enliven the 
meeting by his spontaneous wit. 

At one time he was present at a meeting of the 
Maine Agricultural Society. Several able essays 
had been read. A prominent subject was that of De- 
structive Insects. At length Mr. Allen was called 
upon. He arose and said, in substance, that he had 
been much interested in listening to the very able 
essays upon Destructive Insects, but he thought that 
in the remedies suggested, one important means of 



46 Life of John Allen. 

protection against that pest had been overlooked, which 
was found in the bible. He then repeated the tenth 
and eleventh verses of the third chapter of Malachi : 
" Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there 
may be meat in mine house, and prove me now here- 
with, saith the Lord of hosts, if I will not open you 
the windows of heaven and pour you out a blessing, 
that there shall not be room enough to receive it. 
And / will rebuke the devour er for your sakes and he 
shall not destroy the fruit of yotir ground, neither 
shall your vine cast her fruit before the time in the 
field, saith the Lord of hosts." " The practical appli- 
cation of this scripture," said the venerable camp- 
meeting veteran is this, " Pay your ministers well and 
the Lord will take care of your crops." This off-hand 
speech produced the intended effect by wonderfully 
enlivening the meeting. 

Mr. Allen had often occasion to travel to and from 
Boston by steamboat ; while on such journeys he was 
constantly on the watch for an opportunity to hold 
prayer meetings or to exhort the people. He would 
take a stand in the saloon and repeat a chapter of the 
bible. His peculiarly forcible manner of reciting the 
scripture would seldom fail to attract a crowd. He 



Life of John Allen. 47 

would repeat a hymn and lead off in singing, other 
voices would soon join, then would follow exhortation 
or a brief discourse. These extemporized meetings 
w r ould sometimes be quite impressive and interesting. 
Sometimes a skeptic or scoffer would confront him 
with some impertinent question, but usually a short, 
witty rejoinder would turn the laugh of the crowd upon 
the intruder, who would beat a hasty retreat. He was 
remarkably ready on all occasions, and seldom failed 
to carry the sympathy of the crowd with him. 

He was a diligent student of the bible. He often 
used to say that when he was converted, " He fell in 
love with the bible." Without studying for that pur- 
pose, by careful and frequent reading he committed 
large portions of the bible to memory, and he was 
more and more in the habit, as he advanced in life, of 
reciting whole chapters as scripture lessons at services 
of public worship. 

Mr. Allen's religious experiences w r ere not always 
up to his conception of the believer's privilege. He 
was a thorough believer in the Wesleyan doctrine of 
Christian perfection. In 1867 a movement was in- 
augurated to promote the cause of Holiness under the 
lead of Rev. J. S. Inskip and other prominent 



48 Life of John Allen. 

ministers, who called a national camp-meeting in the 
interest of this subject, to be held at Vineland, N. J., 
July 17. This call was noticed by Mr. Allen, who 
resolved at once to attend. On his way he called at 
Boston. A good friend in that city, while in conversa- 
tion, said to him " Brother John, you are in danger of 
being too much lifted up in your own esteem." This 
was a word in season. He had not thought that with 
his moderate estimate of his own ability he was in 
danger of thinking too highly of himself, but he had 
received much flattering attention for his ready and 
genial wit, and on examination he found that he was 
vulnerable at that point. He went on to the camp- 
meeting prepared to put himself in a position to derive 
benefit from it. He went with others to the altar 
counting himself nothing, and renewing his consecra- 
tion with penitence and tears, and there regained the 
Spirit's witness of his complete salvation. He re- 
turned home with the fulness of love and joy in his 
heart. 

On his way back he again stopped at Boston, and 
in a minister's meeting spoke of the great blessing he 
had received. A young minister present, who was 
somewhat skeptical upon this subject remarked, " I 



Life of John Allen. 49 

suppose that Brother John has got the whole of it ;" 
he immediately replied, " I have all I can contain. A 
little fish in the ocean might as well sa}^ I have the 
whole of it ; it is all around me and in me, the great 
ocean." From that time onward his experience as 
well as his testimony was uniform. On reaching 
his home he declared to his friends the rich treasure 
he had found at the national camp-meeting. His wife, 
who had known something of his vacillations in the 
past, said to him, "John, I shall watch you now and 
see if your life corresponds with your profession. 
She did watch him, and after some months, when 
asked if he kept his temper, replied "that once during 
the time, while adjusting a stove and getting his toes 
badly hurt, she thought he stepped around a little 
more lively than usual, giving evidence that he was 
not as devotional as when leading a prayer meeting."* 
From this time onward he retained a deep interest in 
this subject and delighted especially in attending 
meetings when the subject of holiness was the leading 
topic. 



* Rev. W. McDonald in Zion's Herald. 



50 Life of John Allen. 

He procured a small tent, and frequently took 
it with him to the camp-meetings he attended, pitched 
it in a convenient place, and held meetings in the 
intervals of the public services, for special services 
in the interest of holiness. 

At one time he pitched his tent in the door-yard of 
his home at Farmington and held daily prayer meet- 
ings with such of his neighbors as choose to unite 
with him. These meetings were continued into the 
winter. 



\ 




CAMP- MEETING JOHN ALLEN AND HIS TENT, EAST LIVERMORE 
CAMP-GROUNDS. 



Life of John Allen. 51 



CHAPTER III. 



GOLDEN WEDDING DEATH OF MRS. ALLEN — SECOND 

MARRIAGE SERVED AS CHAPLAIN IN THE LEGIS- 
LATURE DEATH OF SECOND WIFE HIS HOUSE 

DESTROYED BY FIRE REMOVES TO BOSTON 

FAILING HEALTH DEATH AT EAST LIVERMORE 

CAMP-MEETING. 



In 1870 his friends at Boston determined to 
celebrate Mr. Allen's golden wedding. His children 
were all settled in Boston and vicinity. He had 
become favorably known to the Methodist preachers 
and people of the city and vicinity. Arrangements 
were accordingly made for the celebration. The 
following account of this interesting occasion is from 
the Boston Journal, published at the time : — 

rev. john allen's golden wedding. 

Yesterday being the fiftieth anniversary of the 
marriage of Rev. John Allen, the old gentleman 



52 Life of John Allen. 

being better known through the country as Camp- 
Meeting John, his numerous friends deemed it a fitting 
time to certify in a substantial manner their apprecia- 
tion of his worth. Accordingly Mr. and Mrs. Allen, 
together with their friends and relations, met last 
evening in the hall of the Wesleyan Association 
Building, No. 36 Bromfield Street. 

The reception was held from 7 to 10 o'clock 
P. M., and during that time a large number of people 
called and paid their respects to the aged couple. In 
the centre of the hall was a tent made of gold-colored 
cloth, surmounted by a circle of gas jet§ and the 
following mottoes: ' Camp -Meeting John' and 
' Welcome Friends.' At about half past seven o'clock 
the relatives and friends joined in singing the hymn 
' How happy every child of grace.' Dr. Lindsay then 
read a portion of the scripture, and prayer was offered 
by Rev. J. N. Mars. A congratulatory letter was 
read from Rev. Isaac Rogers, an old Congregational 
minister of Farmington, Me. After the reading of 
the letter, Rev. Gilbert Haven stepped forward and 
presented Mr. Allen, in behalf of the Methodist min- 
istry of Boston and vicinity, a beautiful gold watch 
valued at $150. 

Mr. Haven's remarks were very timely and humor- 
ous, and elicited continued applause from his audi- 
tors, who numbered about three hundred. 

Mr. Allen was taken decidedly aback by this beau- 
tiful expression of regard, but quickly rallied and 
made a very neat rejoinder, besides reading a small 
poem of his own production. 



Life of John Allen. 53 

Rev. Dr. Charles F. Allen, of Bangor, a nephew 
of Mr. Allen, addressed the couple, congratulating 
them on arriving at their protracted stage of life, and 
his remarks were peculiarly happy. 

Mr. Allen was then presented with a book of Dis- 
cipline, by Rev. Dr. Mallalieu, of Chelsea. This 
was a good hit on the old gentleman ; the donor of 
the book being a lady friend of Mr. Allen, whom he 
had mildly reproved on more than one occasion for 
the bright colors worn by her. The gift was received 
with shouts of laughter and applause. 

During the evening Mr. and Mrs. Allen received 
many other presents, and among the rest $319 in 
gold and greenbacks from their numerous friends ; 
also a pair of elegant gold spectacles, the gift of their 
daughter, Mrs. L. W. Howes, of Maiden, and a 
silver spoonholder from Dr. Cooke, of Lewiston, 
Me. A box was received containing a magnificent 
wreath of autumn flowers in frame, in the centre of 
which was the inscription: "Please accept, on the 
fiftieth anniversary of your wedding, a wreath of au- 
tumn leaves, now golden ripe, yet untouched by frost, 
with our best wishes. From Mr. and Mrs. Enos T. 
Luce, Auburn, Me." 

An elegant collation was served in an adjoining 
room, to which, about half-past nine o'clock, the com- 
pany were invited by the provider of the feast, who is 
a near relative of Mr. Allen. The dining-room was 
beautifully decorated with bunting and flowers. 

Prior to the collation, the following beautiful little 
song was sung by the authoress, Emily Perry Lothrop, 
a granddaughter of the aged couple, ten years 
of age. 



54 . Life of John Allen. 

Oh ! there is a better land, 

Its streets are paved with gold ; 

Its pearly gates wide open stand, 
Its joys were never told. 

Oh ! there is a better land, 

Where crystal rivers flow, 
O'er shining beds of golden sand, 

All pure as purest snow. 

Oh ! there is a golden light, 

That guides us on our way, 
And cheers us through the lonely night, 

To heaven's eternal day.* 

Both the words and music were composed by the 
little songstress, and dedicated to her grandparents. 

A humorous and very witty poem was also read 
by Rev. D. H. Ela. About a half hour was spent 
enjoying the good cheer at the tables, and the pro- 
ceeding was not interrupted by any speeches, and 
was therefore one of unalloyed enjoyment. 

Shortly after the close of the supper the company 
separated, well pleased with their evening's enjoy- 
ment. 

Had the night been fine, the friends of the aged 
couple would have assembled, no doubt, in much 
larger force, but the storm prevented a great many 
coming from out of town, who would otherwise have 
been present. 

* Not long afterwards, little Emily passed over to the " better 
land," to walk the golden streets and sing with the angels. — 
S. Allen. 



Life of John Allen. 55 

Rev. Mr. Allen's career is too well known to need 
an extended notice. He was born in Farmington, 
Me., in the year 1795, and entered the service of the 
gospel in 1828. He belongs at present to the Maine 
Conference. He has during his life attended and 
made addresses at 216 camp-meetings. Both he and 
his wife are now in their seventy-fifth year. Their 
descendants consist of four children, eleven grand- 
children, and one great grandchild, all of whom 
were present last evening. Mrs. Allen has not 
enjoyed good health for some time, and is now quite 
feeble, but the reverend gentleman appears to be 
hale and hearty at present, and in excellent spirits.'' 

Mr. Allen and family were highly gratified by the 
remarkable expression of good will from their Boston 
friends, and soon returned to their home in Farming- 
ton to resume his labors. 

His health began to show signs of decline, and 
he was occasionally interrupted in his labors by " ill- 
turns." Once he was suddenly prostrated by a severe 
stroke of apoplexy, bringing upon his mind for sev- 
eral weeks " a horror of darkness." He, however, 
soon rallied from the attack, and his cheerfulness re- 
turned, so that he went on with his work. 

Mrs. Allen continued slowly to decline in health 
till June 21, 1875, when at her home in Farmington, 
she peacefully passed from earth to her reward above. 



56 Life of John Allen, 

" Come quickly and take me over," were among 
her last words. 

Mrs. Allen was comely in person, lady-like and 
pious, and highly esteemed by her neighbors. 
Though seldom able to accompany her husband 
to his extensive and often distant circuits, she rendered 
a much better service by caring for her children dur- 
ing her husband's long absences from home. Her 
life-work was well and faithfully done. " Her children 
rise up and call her blessed." 

Mr. Allen, left solitary, continued to reside at his 
home in Farmington, a small family occupying part 
of his house. He continued his services as an evan- 
gelist with unabated vigor and earnestness, rendering 
valuable service in revival meetings. 

In 1876 he married for his second wife Mrs. Sarah 
A. W. Fellows, of Athens, a woman of deep piety 
with whom he had been long acquainted. She was 
in feeble health, and died in the spring of 1881. 

Mr. Allen still labored under a sort of roving 
commission as an evangelist, by the common con- 
sent of his conference. 

In 1879 an( 3 '8° he served as chaplain in the Maine 
House of Representatives. In this service he acquitted 



Life of John Allen. 57 

himself with his usual fidelity. His allusion to pass- 
ing events, in his prayers, were characteristic, often 
amusing, if not benefiting his audience. 

At one time, the governor was not of the same po- 
litical faith as the chaplain. In his prayer he implored 
the blessing of God upon "our governor, • that he 
might be guided aright in the discharge of his re- 
sponsible duties, and, if possible, that he might be 
the best governor we had ever had." At one time, 
in the course of a sharp debate in the house, two 
members had a violent conflict, using angry words. 
The next morning the chaplain prayed that the mem- 
bers of the house might " be aided in their duties, 
and always be courteous in their debates, and know 
how to stop when they are done." Soon afterw r ard 
one of the belligerents spoke to him complimenting 
the prayer, saying, "I was glad to have you give 

W such a dressing down in your prayer." He 

was in the habit of reciting a portion of scripture be- 
fore prayer, and sometimes repeating a hymn ; these 
recitations, in his remarkably impressive manner, 
seldom failed to secure the attention of the members. 
At one time a representative came to him compli- 
menting his prayer, and saying that he was specially 



58 Life of John Allen. 

interested in the " preliminary remarks." "You will 
find the preliminary remarks," said Mr. Allen, "in the 
Bible." 

During the later years of his life, Mr. Allen was 
much in the habit of attending temperance conven- 
tions and other meetings of public interest. In defer- 
ence to his venerable age and usefulness, he usually 
received free passes upon railroads and steamboats. 
At one time he applied by letter to Ex-Governor 
Morrill, then President of the Maine Central Railroad, 
for a renewal of his pass, quoting in his letter Ezra 
7 : 24 : " Also, we certify you touching any of the 
priests and Levites, or ministers of the house of God; 
it shall not be lawful to impose toll, tribute or custom 
upon them." 

Mr. Morrill, who loved a keen repartee quite as 
well as the camp-meeting veteran, sent a new pass 
with a quotation from Luke 18 : 4-5 : "Though I 
fear not God nor regard man ; yet because this widow 
troubleth me I will avenge her, lest by her continual 
coming she weary me." At another time Mr. Mor- 
rill, who was a Universalist in belief, when giving 
Mr. Allen a free pass over the railroad, said to him 
in a jocose manner : " Mr. Allen, you are getting to 



Life of John Allen. 59 

be an old man, and probably you will get to the 
other world before I do ; they will perhaps make you 
a door-keeper. You will let me in when I come, will 
you not?" "Certainly," replied Mr. Allen, "if you 
have a pass." 

During the later years of his life, though he re- 
tained his vigor and cheerfulness to a remarkable 
degree, the infirmities of age increased upon him. 
He had more frequent ill turns, and suffered almost 
constantly from the effects of severe exposure during 
his itinerant life ; he nevertheless continued his active 
labors and frequent journeys. Late in the winter of 
1886, when within a few days of ninety-one years of 
age, he left his home in Boston by railroad to go to 
Farmington, Maine, to attend to some Probate busi- 
ness. In a letter to his daughter, Mrs. Lothrop, 
dated Farmington, March 5, 1886, he thus describes 
his journey : — 

" The day I left Boston I came to Brunswick, and 
not seeing any carriage at the depot I started for Dr. 
Charles Allen's, but the storm and wind were so 
severe that I almost perished before I got there. 

I found Charles and Ruth both at home. They 
soon thawed me out, and I rested quite well that 



60 Life of John Allen. 

night. The snow-storm turned to rain, and I had to 
get a carriage to take me to the depot. The cars did 
not start till about 3 o'clock P. M. We made out to 
get to Leed's Junction that night, but stopped so far 
from any house that I had to stay in the cars 
while the conductor and others got the engine 
on the track. It proved all this time to be the most 
tremendous cold and windy storm I ever witnessed. 
Both cheeks of the conductor were frozen badly. I 
did not rest much that night. The storm was so 
furious all the next day and night that we did not 
start till the day following, Sunday P. M., and we 
were five hours getting four miles. The snow-plow 
got off the track just at night. We started again 
from Curtis Corner, Leeds, and by stopping a number 
of times to get up steam, by 9 o'clock we arrived 
within about three and a half miles ol Farmington, 
when we struck a tremendous snow-drift which threw 
the snow-plow, two engines and tender off the track, 
giving us a wonderful shake-up in the car. The con- 
ductor and all the officers footed it to Farmington 
through the deep snow. There were two ladies 
among the passengers. One of them went with the 
men to Farmington ; the other one went with her 
father across the field to a house. It was a new 
house without accommodations. They then went a 
half a mile towards Wilton to the next house, but were 
refused admittance. They then went a mile toward 



Life of John Allen. 61 

Farmington where they were entertained. I re- 
mained in the car with the men who had been 
picked up on the route to shovel snow ; fifteen or 
twenty of the most profane and vulgar imaginable. 
They kept up a continual uproar till between three and 
four o'clock in the morning. I had been broken of 
rest very much for two previous nights and needed a 
chance to sleep, but could not sleep a moment till 
almost morning. 

Monday afternoon a team came within about half 
a mile to get the mail. The driver agreed to take 
me to Farmington if I could walk to the team. I 
started, but came near perishing before I reached the 
team. A man was with me and gave me some 
assistance, or I should have given out entirely. After 
we got on board the sleigh we soon ran into a snow 
bank, and the sleigh was broken. This was near 
Mr. McLary's house. Mrs. McLary seeing me, 
called me into the house. With the help of a little 
boy I succeeded in reaching the house, where I was 
very kindly entertained. Here I remained two nights, 
as the roads were impassable on account of the drifts 
of snow. 

Wednesday afternoon Mr. McLary conveyed me 
home, safe and sound. The Probate Court, which was 
to be holden Monday, was adjourned from day to day, 
as the judge could not get there from Phillips till 
Friday morning, so I had a chance to attend to some 



62 Life of John Allen. 

important business. I am now considerably rested 
from the fatigue of my perilous six day's journey from 
Boston to Farmington." 

Few men ninety-one years of age could have 
survived such a journey. 

During the summer of the same year Mr. Allen 
had his home repaired and put in a very satisfactory 
condition. While making some improvement about 
the grounds early in October, and congratulating 
himself on having so comfortable a home in his old 
age, the bell sounded an alarm of fire. It was a dry 
time. There was a brisk westerly wind. The flames 
spread rapidly, and in spite of all efforts of the people 
a large part of the beautiful village soon became a 
heap of ashes and smouldering ruins, including three 
churches and Mr. Allen's house, together with most 
of his books, furniture and other personal effects. 

He sold his remaining real estate, removed to 
Boston, and made his home with his daughter Mrs. 
Lothrop. From this time, though he continued his 
labors, his health gradually declined. He had more 
frequent -ill turns, and felt constantly reminded that 
he was nearing the close of his earthly journey. He 
preached quite frequently with his usual earnestness. 




RESIDENCE OF CAMP- MEETING JOHN ALLEN, FARMINGTON, ME. 

Destroyed by fire, October, 1886. 

(Engraved by his Grandson, John W. Lothrop, Boston.) 



Life of John Allen. 63 

He attended the Maine Conference at Waterville in 
April, 1887, being then past 92 years of age. On 
Sabbath morning of the Conference he attended the 
Love Feast, and gave a cheerful testimony. Upon 
request of Bishop Walden, who preached* Sunday 
forenoon, he repeated from memory the scripture 
lesson with a clear voice and in his usually impressive 
manner. 

Early in August following, he preached in 
Chelsea. The weather was oppressively warm. He 
was greatly overcome by the heat and exertion, and 
was carried home much prostrated. He had engaged 
to attend Dr. Cullis's camp-meeting in Fryeburg. 
Feeling too unwell to leave home he wrote to Doctor 
Cullis, informing him of his state of health, that he 
should not be able to attend the meeting, and closing 
with the words, "Pray for me." Doctor Cullis read 
the letter to the congregation, and said, "Brother 
Allen will be here at one o'clock, Friday." Mr. 
Allen rapidly improved, and on Friday morning started 
for the camp-meeting, reaching the place Friday at 
one o'clock, but he returned much exhausted. 

August 29, he left home for the camp-meeting at 
Epping, N. H. Not hearing the station announced 



64 Life of John Allen, 

as the cars reached the place, he was carried by. 
When informed by the conductor of the mistake he 
replied, "There is another camp-meeting further on,'' 
and he came to the East Liverrnore camp-meeting, 
where he met wdth a cordial welcome and found 
comfortable entertainment. 

He entered into the services of the meeting with 
his usual interest. Tuesday evening he was upon the 
stand with other preachers, and at the close of the 
sermon he spoke with clear voice and much anima- 
tion, but feeling unwell he retired to a cottage, where 
he received kind attention and careful nursing, and 
passed a comfortable night. 

In the morning prayer-meeting he had a serious ill 
turn, and was taken to a cottage and kindly cared for 
by Brother John Wortly. Every necessary attention 
was afforded him. He was so far relieved that he at- 
tended to some business and signed his name to a le- 
gal instrument, and conversed cheerfully about re- 
turning home the next day. When a friend suggested 
that he would not probably be able to take such a 
journey, he replied with characteristic cheerfulness : 
"They can get me on board the cars somehow, and 
then I can go as quick as any of you." He said, " I 



Life of John Allen. G5 

am having rather severe pain, but it looks bright be- 
yond." In less than ten minutes the chariot came, 
and the freed spirit passed away. In no place and 
under no circumstances could the venerable camp- 
meeting veteran more fittingly have closed his earthly 
career. 

Forty years before, he had selected this site 
for a camp-meeting, and he had seldom failed of at- 
tending the annual meeting in this place — always an 
active worker and a welcome guest. His spiritual 
children and most cordial friends were here, and with 
this meeting were associated some of the most pleas- 
ant memories of his life. A council of preachers was 
hastily called, and it was immediately determined that 
the funeral must be upon the camp-ground, and Fri- 
day, at one o'clock, was fixed upon as the time for the 
funeral services. His family and other friends were 
immediately notified, and all arrangements were 
made. 

At the appointed time a large collection of people 
assembled. According to the previous request of Mr. 
Allen, Dr. C. Cullis, of Boston, delivered the funeral 
discourse. The services commenced by the reading 
and singing of the favorite hymn of the departed vet- 
' 5 



66 Life of John Allen. 

eran, " God Moves in a Mysterious Way." The older 
ministers of the conference participated in the solemn 
and impressive services. A procession was formed, 
and a large number of people followed the remains to 
the depot. The family connections and other friends 
were carried with the remains of the deceased to 
Farmington depot, and from thence by carriages in 
waiting, to the beautiful cemetery in that place, where 
the remains of the venerable minister, after the usual 
burial service, were deposited beside the grave of his 
first wife. The camp-meeting, in the meanwhile, 
went on with but little interruption, and with deep 
and solemn interest, to its close on Saturday morn- 
ing. 

The circumstances connected with the death of the 
venerable camp-meeting veteran were remarkable. 
He came to the East Livermore camp-meeting con- 
trary to his intention when he left his home in Boston ; 
his purpose was to go to the Epping camp-meeting, 
but by a mistake he was carried by the station. 
When he came to the meeting at East Livermore, he 
intended to return to Epping during the week. No 
place or occasion could have been chosen more fitting 
and proper for the closing hours of his life than the 



Life of John Allen. 67 

East Livermore camp-ground while the meeting was 
in progress. Many of his old friends were present, 
and were glad to meet him, and to render all needful 
attention in the closing hours of his life. It was within 
a convenient distance of his former home and the burial 
lot which he had prepared for himself and his family. 
Camp-Meeting John Allen was a remarkable man. 
He inherited a healthy, physical constitution, which 
was hardened by industrious habits, till he became 
capable of remarkable endurance. He also inherited 
a cheerful and lively disposition, which continued till 
the last moments of his life. In spite of great disad- 
vantages, his life was a grand success. Though his 
literary attainments were moderate, he was a natural 
genius. He could not conduct a process of reasoning 
like many other speakers ; he had a keen sense of the 
ludicrous, and he could detect a fallacy as readily as 
any man. He never was at a loss for a reply when 
assailed, and such a reply as usually silenced, with- 
out offending, his assailant. He was a diligent 
reader of the Bible, and was able to repeat many 
whole chapters in a manner remarkably impressive. 
His discourses abounded with scripture quotations 
and pertinent anecdotes. He was not a great preacher, 



68 Life of John Allen. 

judged by the rules of sermonizing laid down in the 
books, yet a remarkably successful minister of the 
gospel. He never attempted to preach great ser- 
mons ; he readily comprehended the wants of the au- 
dience, and sought with great earnestness to win the 
people to Christ by plain, forcible exhortations, rather 
than by logical argumentation. The people heard 
him gladly, and many were converted under his min- 
istry. He was always ready to preach on any occa- 
sion when called upon, even in sudden emergencies, 
when other preachers declined ; and he seldom failed 
to interest and instruct his audience. He never in- 
dulged in a spirit of fault-finding nor of jealousy 
toward his brethren in the ministry. He was charit- 
able towards the infirmities of others, and always 
had a word of encouragement for the young preach- 
ers. He was thoroughly religious ; religion was 
every where his theme ; even his wit and humor were 
employed in the service of the gospel. While en- 
gaged in itinerant or evangelistic work, he labored 
with all his might, and was never so happy as 
when in the midst of a revival. His cheerful, sunny 
disposition, which secured him a hearty welcome 
everywhere, continued to the last hours of life. His 



Life of John Allen. 69 

dying hours were peaceful, and his departure from 

life amid the scenes which he loved, was more like a 

translation than like death. 

u Our faith beholds the dying here 
Translated to that happier sphere. " 

No minister will be more missed at the annual 
gathering of the Maine Conference, and especially at 
our camp-meetings, than Camp-Meeting John Allen. 



70 Eulogies of John Allen, 



CHAPTER IV. 



MEMORIAL SERVICE ADDRESSES, AND COMMUNICA- 
TIONS ADDITIONAL THERETO CONCERNING THE 
LATE JOHN ALLEN. 

[From Times of Refreshing.] 

Beacon Hill Church, Boston. 

The usual Tuesday Consecration Meeting on the 
13th ult. was set aside for a memorial service to the late 
Rev. John Allen, or " Camp-Meeting John Allen" as 
he was more popularly known. The Reverend Doc- 
tors Steele and Bates, and Reverends Wm. McDonald, 
R. B. Howard, S. S. Matthews, E. Davis, E. D. 
Mallory, H. H. Perry and others, occupied seats on 
the rostrum, and the church was well filled with a 
body of people, as representative of the various relig- 
ious denominations as were the clergymen assembled 
to do honor to the memory of this unique man. 

Dr. Cullis in his exordium said : 

I told you last Tuesday that we were to hold a me- 
morial service in memory of the Rev. John Allen, 
and no words could be more appropriate to the occa- 

Note by the Editor. — In this and the following chapters are 
some unavoidable repetitions of anecdotes related in other parts of 
the book, for which the reader's indulgence is bespoken. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 71 

sion than those of David's in the thirty-seventh Psalm 
and thirty-seventh verse: "Mark the perfect man, 
and behold the upright : for the end of that man is 
peace." 

The end of that man is peace. He used to come 
to this church nearly every Tuesday, ready to re- 
peat the Scriptures and give his testimony. God lived 
with him ninety-two years, and his end came so quickly 
we hardly knew it. Surely it is something to live for, 
that some one may say about us, " He was an upright 
man and his end is peace." Mr. Allen left Boston to 
go to the Epping Camp-meeting, but he was carried 
beyond the station, so the conductor said, " I will let 
you off, Uncle John." " Oh, no," he replied "there 
is another (camp-meeting) further on, I will go there." 
So he went to the East Livermore Camp-meeting — 
providentially it would seem, for it was the place of 
all others he would have elected to die at, he having 
helped lay out the grounds thirty-five years ago — and 
gave an exhortation the same night, retired to rest, had 
a good breakfast, but not feeling well he went to 
another cottage, the lady of which gave him a bowl 
of gruel, and after making sundry characteristic re- 
marks he said he would go back to Boston. " Oh, 
no," she said, "you are not well enough to go to Bos- 
ton." He answered, " I will go as fast as the young- 
est of them when I get into the cars." 

Ten minutes after that he sat in his chair and was 
gone. His end was peace ! We shall all miss him, 
for we all loved him, but we are not here to mourn 
his loss. 

John Allen was a grand man, and was never ac- 
cused of any mean thing. Rev. R. B. Howard, a 



72 Eulogies of John Allen. 

former Congregational pastor at Farmington, knew 
him well and will give us a word of testimony. I 
cannot say what day it was I received a telegram at 
Intervale, of his death. I felt I could not spare the 
time to attend his funeral, yet I went, for almost every 
time he saw and wrote me he reminded me of my 
promise to preach his funeral sermon. Yes, at the 
very place he would have wanted to die at he just 
dropped out. All the people sent their carriages with- 
out charge, and it was a beautiful sight to see that 
procession going to the cemetery, where around the 
grave were laid autumn leaves and everything to make 
the place look beautiful. I never heard but one ex- 
pression ; everybody loved John Allen. That is a 
rare thing, "A prophet is not without honor save in 
his own country, and in his own house," but it was a 
universal expression. John Allen went everywhere, 
knew everybody ; he was a dear man, I loved him 
and he never troubled me in the least by his wit, for I 
never got quite enough of him ; he brought the truth 
home so cheerfully by his brightness. I thank God I 
knew John Allen, and that his end was peace.* 

Rev. William McDonald. — I met Brother Allen 
forty-seven years ago for the first time at a Methodist 
Conference, and he was then a rare specimen, full of 
his wit and sallies and keeping all in good humor 
while he discoursed on the subject of salvation. Don't 
think he was a perfect man in all respects, he was not 
always perfect in his judgments and experiences, but 
I believe he possessed a pure love for God and man. 

*See later communication on this subject from Dr. Cullis, on 
another page. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 73 

In early life, about thirty-seven years old, he was 
converted and for some time afterwards known as the 
"Converted Universalist." He used to tell how he 
went to that camp-meeting to make fun, and was 
converted gloriously. For about ten years after his 
conversion he went out and labored as an itinerant, 
joining the conference in 1835, anc ' ^ e was a member 
from that time to his death. I think it is due you to 
make this statement : In his early Christian expe- 
rience he several times gave himself to God and went 
on, but after a time he lost it, and for a good many 
years he was up and down in this particular. Nearly 
twenty years ago he attended the First National 
Camp-meeting, where he again entered the higher 
life, and from that time he never slipped nor stumbled. 
He commenced holding meetings in his own grounds, 
told of it everywhere and continued preaching it 
throughout the remainder of his life. To see him then 
you would not judge him to be a very saintly man; 
always cheerful and ready for anything or anybody, 
and the man who attempted to "floor" him found out 
his mistake. 

At the close of the session of the legislature of 
which he was chaplain, he was called upon to pray, 
which he did in his usual way, winding up with 

" The year of jubilee has come, 
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home!" 

I could stand here for an hour and relate many 
such incidents. I doubt if any man could read the 
Scripture any more effectively than John Allen. He 
not only read them but gave the sense, and by his 
emphasis made them more impressive. 



74 Eulogies of John Allen. 

John Allen was not a remarkable preacher. He 
would not have made a professor of theology or of 
philosophy, but he could get out as much of-the prac- 
tice of the gospel as most men, and has been the 
means of leading thousands to Jesus. It is needless 
forme to say more. He was converted at a camp- 
meeting, sanctified at a camp-meeting, and died at a 
camp-meeting, and in all attended 374 camp-meetings ; 
and I have no doubt that to-day he rests with the 
glorified ones in the presence of Him who has received 
him to Himself, and joins in the. chorus above where 
they live and die no more. I want to thank God for 
John Allen that he preached the Gospel of the saving 
power of Christ. May we ever follow his example ! 

Rev. R. B. Howard. — Nobody invited me to 
Brother Allen's funeral, but when I heard of it I said 
I would go. Dr. Cullis has already given you a 
sketch of him in connection with his text. When 
Brother Allen was converted and pitched his tent in 
his own ground he invited me, and I went in and 
helped, and we had good meetings. I always felt 
strengthened and drawn towards him with the largest 
sympathy. In 1862 revivals spread through our com- 
munity, and you could not keep John Allen out of the 
meetings. I can see him now ; see the people crowd- 
ing into the meetings and John Allen pointing them 
to seats. I loved him, but what I loved most in him 
was Jesus Christ. Human nature had a large devel- 
opment in him, and his utterances were all his 
own. God converted and sanctified him, and brought 
him into subjection to the law of love where he now 
lives. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 75 

Solo : " O think of the home over there, " by Mr. 
Wright. 

Dr. Steele. — I am not here to speak extensively 
of John Allen. My first recollection of him was 
about thirty-five years ago, when he appeared in his 
simple way, preaching and telling of his experience. 
I used to thank God for the sunshine he brought with 
him. When he was converted from a swearing Uni- 
versalistto a shouting Methodist, it was a good thing 
for the Christian Church. His sanctified wit enabled 
him to administer a rebuke in such a way as not to be 
offensive. He was once present in the Wesley an 
Hall discussing Christian perfection, when one who 
took a view not commonly held by Methodists turned 
and said, " Here is John Allen, so I may expect to 
be annihilated. " "Oh, no," said John, "I do not 
believe in the annihilation of the wicked." Refer- 
ence has been made to his great memory ; to his 
knowledge of the Word of God. He had assimilated 
the Word of God to himself and made it his own. 
When he was chaplain of the Maine legislature he 
was hailed one day by a member, who said " he much 
enjoyed those remarks of his." So perfectly had he 
assimilated his knowledge of the Word of God that 
this man thought these were John Allen's own words. 
I have been thinking of that one gift, and of his 
ability to use it, and I am of the opinion that it was 
worth more to him and used more effectively than 
the knowledge of many languages is to many learned 
men. His gifts were of such a nature that they were 
available at all times. For those who think that the 
experience of Christian perfection is not for them, let 



76 Eulogies of John Allen. 

them remember that he had passed his three-score 
years and ten before entering fully and permanently 
into it, and take encouragement. 

Rev. S. S. Matthews. — I had the privilege of 
knowing John Allen a great many years, and it was 
always a delight to sit and hear him. My eyes never 
fell on him without thanking God for seeing him. 
My thoughts have been whilst sitting here, as to 
where he now is. When we come to think more fre- 
quently of the glad surprises that await God's chil- 
dren when He calls them, my heart keeps saying, 
" Be brave, have courage, one or two more valleys 
and then home. " I bless God that the end of the per- 
fect man is peace. So it was with John Allen. 

Solo by Mr. Robinson, and prayer by Rev. H. H. 
Perry. 

Dr. Bates. — This is the fourth service I have 
attended in memory of John Allen. The last regular 
sermon he preached was in the pulpit of my church. 
After the service a Boston teacher of elocution said, 
"There is not a preacher in Boston that can read the 
Bible like him." The first time I met him was forty- 
five years ago at a camp-meeting, and knowing him 
from that time I can say there was nothing "put on" 
about John Allen. He was honest, sincere, lovely 
and pure. The Boston Globe in an editorial said, 
" The greatest man in Methodism is dead." At the 
funeral of one of our bishops there were 300 persons 
present, but at John Allen's there were 3,000. 
People who stayed away from our beautiful services 
went to hear John Allen. I saw him for the last time 



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Eulogies of John Allen. 77 

at Intervale this summer : When we were ascending 
one of the hills which commanded a magnificent view 
he stopped and said, " Brethren, I am going up there 
very soon." 1 thought he meant Mount Washington, 
but he said, " No, up there," pointing to heaven. 

Dr. Cullis. — There are several brethren here 
who w f ould be glad to give their testimony to the 
sterling Christian character of John Allen, but time 
is up, so I will only ask you to pray that our end, 
like his, may be peace. I am sure we have all been 
better for the life of John Allen. 

Thus closed this interesting service to the memory 
of this remarkable and characteristic man, who by 
his prolonged, useful, active life, naturalness and 
piety called forth tributes of affection in his day, and 
had not to wait for death to win the floral chaplet. 
He was crowned in life, most of us are crowned at 
death — on the tomb. 

[CoMiMUNICATED BY Dr. CHARLES CULLIS.] 

My acquaintance with Rev. John Allen began at 
my convention at South Framingham, about thirteen 
years ago. There I met him for the first time, and 
heard him repeat Scripture as I have never heard any 
man before or since. I fell in love with the dear old 
man then, and I think he has been at every conven- 
tion of mine since with possibly one or two exceptions. 
I loved him for his deep piety, for his sanctified wit, 
for his aptness in repeating the Scriptures. He was 
a ray of sunshine always. 



78 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Some of the illustrations of the quickness of his wit 
constantly come up before me. I remember the 
account which he gave of attending a Baptist confer- 
ence in his native town. He being the Methodist 
minister in the place, they invited him to a seat on the 
platform. The presiding minister introduced him in 
a pleasant way, by saying that every one knew Camp- 
Meeting John Allen, a dear brother, and a Methodist ; 
and he said : " I like the Methodist church, but it has 
too much machinery for me ; however, I am happy to 
introduce Rev. John Allen." Mr. Allen at once re- 
sponded : "I agree with the brother that the Metho- 
dists do have more machinery in their church, but he 
must admit it does not take nigh as much water to 
run it as it does his." 

He was chaplain for two or three years of the 
legislature of Maine, where he was a constant inspira- 
tion of mirth and joy to the members. Every morn- 
before prayer he either repeated a verse of Scripture 
or a hymn, for his influence was always on the side of 
God and righteousness. The last day, after a long 
and stormy session, the members were having their 
little speeches of farewell, and finally called upon 
the chaplain, who repeated Watts' hymn, — 

Blow ye the trumpet, blow 

The gladly solemn sound, 
Let all the nations know, 

To earth's remotest bound, 
The year of Jubilee is come ; 
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home / 

Imagine the effect upon the audience, as with 
raised hand and impetuous emphasis, he repeated the 
closing line. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 79 

It was my privilege to preach his funeral sermon at 
the camp-meeting ground at Livermore Falls, and from 
there I went to Farmington to the grave, and spent 
the night in Farmington. While there one of the 
old residents told me of this incident. One morning 
he was coming out of the house of the Universalist 
minister, when a rather rough-spoken man met him 
on the sidewalk, and said, "Ah, Uncle John, you 
have been in to see our minister, have you?" "Yes." 
" Well, how did you feel when you were there?" " I 
felt as if two gentlemen were talking together ; I 
wish I could say the same now." 

He attended the dedication of the Intervale Park 
grounds, and as he stepped across a little brook his 
foot slipped and he went down on one knee on the 
gravel A couple of gentlemen sprang to pick him 
up, ana as they did so, he remarked, "Well I always 
did say there was a possibility of falling." 

He was frequently called upon to repeat Scripture 
at public gatherings. On one occasion after he had 
repeated a chapter a gentleman stepped up to him, 
and asked him where he got that selection of verses. 
"Why," he says, "You will find it in the fifth 
chapter of Thessalonians." " Oh," said the man, " I 
thought it was some selection gotten up for the 
occasion." " Well, it was," replied Mr. Allen. 

I heard him three years ago one Sunday after- 
noon at Tremont Temple on temperance. At eighty- 
eight years of age he delivered a stirring address 
upon temperance to an audience of 2500 people, 
causing them one moment to roar with laughter, and 
the next to wipe their eyes. After he had finished, 
just as he was taking his seat, he said, so that the 



80 Eulogies of John Allen. 

whole congregation could hear him, "I never did 
pretend to be much, but I never saw anybody I 
would swap with yet." 

A spiritualist once approached him on the subject 
of spiritualism. " Well," said he " the Bible says ' If 
any man lack wisdom let him ask of God,' but you go 
and ask your dead relatives." 

At my house one day I left him in the library talk- 
ing with my wife, and as I came back I heard her 
ask a question, " Well, is she a Christian?" I knew 
not whom they were talking about, but his reply was 
44 Well, she is a kind of Baptist Christian." 

In one of his sermons at the Intervale Convention 
he made an allusion to the children of Israel bringing 
their bracelets and rings of gold to be melted up to 
make the golden calf. Said he, " I will be bound if 
people don't worship the gold nowadays before it is 
made into a calf." 

At his own home on election day, when people 
were voting yes or no on the temperance question, a 
man with a red face and a red nose flaunted his " no " 
ballot before Uncle John's face, and said, " Well, 
Uncle John, I am going to vote this ticket." He re- 
plied, " Your nose voted long before you did." 

When his house was burned, the year before he 
died, in Farmington, Maine, he went out of the house 
with some old clothes on, all that he had saved out of 
the wreck, and stood in front of the house and began 
to sing the Doxology. 

He came to Boston to live with a widowed daugh- 
ter. She had two boys who were fond of music and 
had a piano. They found their grandpa did not like 
the piano, so they ceased playing when he was at 



Eulogies of John Allen. 81 

home so as not to disturb him. One day a neighbor 
came in, and said, " Uncle John, don't you like the 
piano?" " Oh yes," he replied, " when it stops." 

My heart has thanked God many, many times for 
the dear, grand old man ; so full of life, so full of joy 
in the Holy Ghost, and he was a continual blessing to 
all with whom he was brought in contact. 

Wesleyan Hall. 

[From Zion's Herald.] 

Memorial Service. — The Boston Methodist Preach- 
ers' Meeting, having by committee arranged for a 
memorial service in commemoration of distinguished 
ministers of our church who have recently fallen, a 
large congregation assembled in Bromfield Street 
Church Monday afternoon, Sept. 12. Rev. L. R. 
Thayer 5 D. D., presided. The opening hymn was 
read by Rev. J. H. Twombly, D. D., the Scripture 
lessons by Rev. D. H. Ela, D. D., and prayer was 
offered by Rev. W. R. Clark, D. D. Rev. Dr. Mc- 
Keown announced the hymn commencing, "Come, 
let us join our friends above, " etc., after which Rev. 
B. K. Peirce, D. D., gave an interesting sketch of 
the character, life and labors of that eminent scholar, 
writer and debater, Rev. D. Curry, D. D., LL. D. 
Rev. H. Ela, D. D., read a sketch of the life of Bishop 
Harris, which had been prepared by his colleague in 
office, Bishop Mallalieu ; the latter having to leave 

Boston at the hour of this service to attend and pre- 
6 



82 Eulogies of John Allen. 

side over the Detroit Conference. Rev. Dr. Mark 
Trafton gave an address of characteristic earnestness, 
tenderness and naturalness, descriptive of the life and 
labors of-" Camp-Meeting John Allen," as our aged 
brother liked to be called. Dr. Trafton gave an out- 
line of the peculiarities and powers of this veteran of 
the Cross, and thrilled our hearts with his touching 
pathos and stories of personal history of the ninety- 
three years this rugged champion had battled for the 
Captain of his salvation. He referred to his death, 
occurring as it did on a camp-ground, as the fittest 
place on earth for this aged hero to die, who so dear- 
ly loved these battle scenes of the church. 

[The following article, originally contributed to Ziotfs Herald by 
Dr. Trafton, has been revised by him for this book, and will be 
found a desirable addition to the report of his address at the 
Methodist Preachers' Memorial Meeting. It appears in the paper 
under the motto "After Life's Fitful Fever He Sleeps Well." — 
Editor.] 

" Camp-Meeting John Allen is- — dead ! " 
This notice I read in a paper recently, and the 
words at first seemed to signify nothing — mere 
sound, as I repeated them over to myself. It was 
only the last word that struck me — dead ! For years 
and years have I seen the first words of that sentence 
in the issues of the press. " Camp-Meeting John" is 
here and there, now at a camp-meeting, now at a 
church dedication, now in a revival somewhere, now 
in a preachers' meeting, stirring up the young preach- 
ers by his old-time reminiscences, "shouldering his 
crutch to show how fields were won ; " now with his 



Eulogies of John Allen. 83 

mace of logic, wit, irony, sarcasm and denunciation 
thundering at the gates of the saloon — he has 
seemed almost ubiquitous, possessing energy and 
force seemingly inexhaustible, even up into the 
nineties ! 

The announcement of a camp-meeting fell upon 
his ears like the blast of a trumpet upon those of an 
old war-horse, and he " snuffed the battle from afar." 
He was as near heaven as one on earth can be on 
such occasions, amid the "thunder of the captains 
and the shoutings. " The modern grove meetings 
were rather too quiet for him. He believed in " lift- 
ing up his voice like a trumpet," and it would have 
been a novelty to provoke mirth, to have seen one of 
John Allen's hearers with his hand behind his ear, 
trying to catch his words. There was an earnestness 
about him that enforced attention, and a frank sincer- 
ity that carried conviction to the heart of the hearer. 

" He believed, and therefore spoke." 

Simple, unassuming, charitable, the presence of 
Camp-Meeting John was always an attraction to the 
young people, as well as to others. His pictures of 
the old times, the simple dwellings of the early set- 
tlers, the log-cabin, the great stone fire-place, the 
blazing logs, the iron crane with the bubbling pot of 
bean-porridge and mush, the spinning-wheel, the 
loom, the high-back settle, were all before the eye as 
he used the pencil. In such a cabin he was born, 
and he delighted in returning to those scenes in his 
life. 

"Dead!" The word startles one the more be- 
cause he has been so long with us, we had become so 
accustomed to his presence, and his form and tones 



84 Eulogies of John Allen. 

had become so familiar, that it seemed a part of our 
very life, not to be removed until the whole scene 
should vanish together — an eidolon of one's self. 

How odd it will seem to us not to see him walk 
with his quick, nervous step up the aisle in our Mon- 
day meetings, drop into his seat, and with his left 
hand give his hair a brush back from his forehead, 
by his manner saying, "Ready !" And he was al- 
ways ready. Call upon him to open a meeting, and 
he would step to the desk and without opening the 
Bible, repeat an entire chapter. And this was his 
habit in his later public ministrations. His flow of 
language was remarkable. His mind was so stored 
with incidents, events, facts and scenes, and his illus- 
trations came so aptly, that they seemed especially 
studied for the occasion. 

His humor was not so apparent in his public ad- 
dresses as his wit and sarcasm. Woe to the luckless 
wight who provoked a tilt with him ! He would 
speedily find himself unhorsed. About the sharpest 
thing I have heard as coming from him was on the 
occasion of the close of the bogus state legislature of 
Maine, of which John Allen was chaplain. On the 
day of its final adjournment, after a brief prayer, the 
chaplain, looking the body in the face, quoted this 
verse of a hymn : " Blow ye the trumpet, blow, " etc., 
closing with, 

"The year of jubilee is come, 
Return, ye ransomed sinners, home ! ,? 

The effect may be imagined. 

I have known this old hero for fifty-nine years — 
a stretch of time to look back through. I had but 



Eulogies of John x\llen. 85 

just been received into the Methodist Episcopal 
Church, and Methodism and Methodist preaching 
were to me a novelty. Our preacher in Bangor, 
Rev. Greenleaf Greely, one Sabbath announced that 
"John Allen, a converted Universalist, would preach 
that evening at the usual hour for service." It w r as 
then the new church, now a store-house, near the 
Brewer ferry, into w T hich w T e had just moyed from 
the school-house on Union street. There was then but 
one other church building in Bangor. Of course a 
crowd gathered for the evening service. Directly 
the pastor, a most diffident man, came in, slightly 
stooping in his gait, followed by a young man with a 
bushy head of hair, and straight as a Penobscot In- 
dian, with a confident air, and looking like one who 
would " storm the wall." He took the service and 
walked right through it as fearing nothing on earth. 
I can only recall the impression of the moment, but 
to me, who had been used to gospel reading and not 
preaching, it seemed wonderful. No notes, no hesi- 
tancy, but just one roll and rush of sentences from 
beginning to end — exposition, experience, anecdotes 
and persuasion all mingled together ! But, though 
subjected to the criticisms of our modern schools, it 
might be called faulty, it impressed the people, and 
they enjoyed it. I have no recollection of having 
heard him preach since. In 1832, at the close of my 
second year in the ministry, I met him again in Phil- 
lips, at a quarterly meeting held in a barn, but I think 
he did not preach. In the last interview I had with 
him in the Book-Room, he mentioned that meeting, 
and with a quizzical look said, "Yes, I heard you 
preach, but I did not think you would ever make 



86 Eulogies of John Allen, 

much of a preacher." He was, I told him, mistaken 
in the first statement, as I did not preach, but not so 
much mistaken in the last. 

Well, " Camp-Meeting John is dead ! " Preached 
in the evening at a camp-meeting, and died the next 
day, falling with his harness on, like a true knight, — 

" With his back to the field and his feet to the foe." 

And so \frould he have wished it ; and he was carried 
from the camp-ground to his honored grave. 

Doubtless some more skillful hand, with more 
perfect knowledge of his entire life, will give to the 
world a more specific biography, and so we 

" No longer seek his merits to disclose, 

Or draw his frailties from their dread abode 
Where they alike in trembling hope repose, 
The bosom of his father and his God. " 



Eulogies of John Allen. 87 



CHAPTER V. 



biographical sketch of rev. john allen by 
rev. wm. Mcdonald. * 



OCCUPATION AND CHARACTERISTICS IN EARLY LIFE 

A CAMP-MEETING SIXTY YEARS AGO JOHN ALLEN'S 

CONVERSION JOHN AS A CONTROVERSIALIST 

HIS MARRIAGES — SUMMARY OF HIS PASTORAL WORK 
ANALYSIS OF HIS CHARACTER, WITH ILLUSTRA- 
TIVE ANECDOTES HIS EXPERIENCE IN " ENTIRE 

SANCTIFICATION HIS FONDNESS FOR MEETINGS IN 

A CAMP. 



Methodism, on both sides of the Atlantic, has been 
noted for the developing of extraordinary characters. 
English Methodism has had its Billy Brays, its 
Sammy Hicks, and its Billy Dawsons ; American 
Methodism its Lorenzo Dows, its Peter Cartwrights 
and its Camp-Meeting John Aliens. As such ex- 
ceptional characters are always incident to any inten- 
sified form of religion, it becomes the duty of the 

*Read before the New England Methodist Historical Society, 
Boston, Oct. 17, 1887, and published by request of the Society. — 
From Zion's Herald. 



88 Eulogies of John Allen. 

church, when such characters appear, to properly 
direct them and utilize their peculiarities. Not to be 
able to do so, gives unmistakable evidence of moral 
weakness, or a lamentable lack of executive power to 
direct and employ some of the most effective agencies 
which God has given the church. 

I am asked to furnish a sketch of the life and labors 
of one of these extraordinary characters, known among 
us for more than half a century as " Camp-Meeting 
John Allen." Seldom has a man of Brother Allen's 
defective culture and limited intellectual capacity 
been able to hold the position which he has held — 
charming and delighting all classes until he had passed 
his fourscore years and ten. But he has enjoyed 
that rare honor. Brother Allen was born in Farming- 
ton, Maine, March 7, 1795, and was at his death 
(Aug. 31, 1887), ninety-two years and six months old. 
He had the honor of being born in a log house, and 
his early life was spent in comparative poverty. 
Though his educational advantages were extremely 
limited, he improved them so well that he was able 
to teach successfully several small district schools. 

For a time he followed the business of farming 
and stage-driving. And in those days he could sing 
like a lark, dance like a French dandy, drink like 
a Boston alderman, and act like the devil generally. 
He was a leader in all manner of sports. But there 
is no evidence that, at heart, he was a vindictive 



Eulogies of John Allen. 89 

character. He subsequently learned the clothier's 
trade, and in the meantime became addicted to the 
use of intoxicating drinks, and was what might b e 
termed a moderate drunkard. 

Religiously he was a noisy, blustering, good na- 
tured, Universalist which meant in those times a 
thoroughly godless man. Universalism in 1825, and 
Universalism in 1888, are far from being the same. 
Then, with a Universalist, heaven was certain to all 
at death : now it is sure to very few. Then, sudden 
death was sudden glory to the vilest and most impen- 
itent wretch that ever swung from a gallows ; now, 
such characters will be obliged to stop a longer or a 
shorter time on the way for repentance and reforma- 
tion. Then, no punishment after death for the wicked 
was the universal faith of Universalists ; now, a per- 
son holding such views is rarely found among them. 
They have all become Restorationists. John Allen 
was an old-time Universalist ; and a man of his pecu- 
liar make-up, and about as wicked as Satan could 
make him, as he seems to have been, would be likely 
to keep almost any neighborhood in a religious 
turmoil. 

A camp-meeting in Maine, sixty years ago, was 
in all respects, a primitive affair. An old cast-off sail 
or a piece of cotton cloth, thrown over some rough 
poles, constituted the society tent. A plain shed-like 
structure, built of poles and a few rough boards, 



90 Eulogies of John Allen. 

served for a preacher's stand. Some logs laid upon 
the ground, on which were arranged a few rough 
boards or slabs, constituted the usual auditorium for 
the people. A little clean straw strewn upon the bare 
ground in the society tent, over which were spread 
sheets or quilts, served for sleeping accommodations 
at night. A partition of cotton cloth was sufficient to 
separate the apartment of the men and the women. 
And in these tents the people lived, and ate, and slept, 
and sang, and prayed, and did an immense deal of 
unrestrained shouting. To this was added a substan- 
tial fire of pine knots, or rock maple wood, to give 
warmth by day and light by night. This was the 
order even fifty years ago, when we attended our first 
camp-meeting in the Pine Tree State. 

To these meetings the roughs resorted for many 
miles around. They came to have a good time and 
make as much trouble as possible for the noisy 
Methodists. And this sort of wholesale annoyance 
was encouraged by the ministers and members of 
some of the religious denominations which are now 
only too glad of an opportunity to attend these gather- 
ings for the spiritual profit they secure. 

A camp-meeting of the character we have de- 
scribed was held in ihe town of Industry, Me., in 
the month of June, 1825 — it being the last camp- 
meeting held in Maine under the auspices of the New r 
England Conference, as the Maine Conference held its 



Eulogies of John Allen. 91 

first session in July of that year, less than a month 
after this meeting closed. To this meeting John 
Allen, then thirty years of age, was attracted. He 
went, a bold, blatant, rum-drinking, song-singing, 
fun-making Universalist ; and came away a red-hot, 
shouting Methodist. The change was seen to be very 
great by all who knew him. But to himself it seemed 
much greater than to any one else. 

In a letter addressed to his sister, residing in Pros- 
pect, Me., dated Aug. 7, 1825, a little more than a 
month after his conversion, he gave an account of 
the great change. [This letter is printed in full on 
page 23. — Editor. ~\ 

This was the beginning of his Christian life. And 
a man of his peculiar temperament would not be 
likely to keep quiet, with such an experience. 
Wherever he went — and he was ever on the move — 
he proclaimed his new-found joy. Nor was he back- 
ward in confessing the evil influences of Universalism 
upon him, and the perils to which it had exposed 
him. Indeed, he became a thorn in the sides of his 
former Universalist associates, being known every- 
where as the " converted Universalist." 

He was not a profound controversialist, but he was 
a troublesome opponent. His weapons were not logic, 
artfully employed, but iacts and anecdotes scorchingly 
applied. He could repeat poetry in a manner to 
captivate all classes. He gathered up several speci- 



92 Eulogies of John Allen. 

mens of this sort of argument which he very success- 
fully employed in his attacks on Universalism. As 
we have said, Universalism held the dogma that all 
men, irrespective of moral character, were admitted 
to heaven at death. Brother Allen sought to expose 
the utter absurdity of such a notion by turning it into 
ridicule. In this he employed his well-chosen poetry. 
So he makes the Universalist say : — 

"That all the filthy Sodomites, 

When God bade Lot retire, 
Went in a trice to paradise, 

On rapid wings of fire. 
And all the wicked Canaanites, 

To Joshua's sword were given, 
The sun stood still, till he should kill, 

And pack them off for heaven. 
God saw those wretches were too bad 

To own that fruitful land 
He therefore took the rascals up 

To dwell at His right hand. 
And Judas, that perfidious wretch, 

Was not for crimes accursed, 
But by a cord, outwent his Lord, 

And got to heaven first." 

This, with much more of the same sort, was re- 
peated by Brother Allen with magical effect, and was 
more convincing than any argument he could em- 
ploy. His genuine wit and marvelous power at 



Eulogies of John Allen. 93 

repartee always turned the tables against his old 
associates and sent them away mad, but laughing, if 
such a thing can be conceived of. 

He w r as particularly offensive to Wm. A. Drew, of 
the Gospel Banner, a leading Universalist paper, 
published in Augusta, Me. Brother Allen seldom 
preached or exhorted without paying his special 
respects to Mr. Drew ; and Mr. Drew usually returned 
the compliment, but, in the judgment of most, either 
limping or with a broken wing. 

Brother Allen w r as twice married. His first mar- 
riage was (on Oct. 20, 1820, five years before his con- 
version) to Miss Annah S. Hersey, of Farmington, 
Me. There were born unto them of this marriage 
four children — one son and three daughters. The 
son and two daughters are still living. One daugh- 
ter, the wife of L. W. Howes, Esq., a lawyer of this 
city, died May 31, 1880. Mrs. Allen died June 24, 
1875, a g e d eighty years and five months. Her last 
words w r ere, " Come quick, and take me over." He 
was married a second time, in 1876, to Mrs. Sarah A. 
W. Fellows, of Brunswick, Me., a very estimable 
Christian lady, who died in 1881. 

He w r as licensed to preach in 1828, three years 
after his conversion, and admitted to Conference on 
trial in 1835, with six others, among them Chas. P. 
Bragdon (father of Prof. Bragdon of Auburndale). 
After remaining three years on trial, he was admitted 



94 Eulogies of John Allen, 

into the Conference in full connection, with fifteen 
others, in 1838. He lived to see all that large class 
pass away save one — Rev. Alvra Hatch ; and he sur- 
vived him only a few days. 

Brother Allen continued in the regular pastoral 
work for fourteen years, when in 1852 he located. In 
1854 he was re-admitted into the East Maine Confer- 
ence and for two years served the Conference as tract 
agent, a work to which he seemed well adapted. In 
1856 he was transferred back to the Maine Confer- 
ence, and in i860 again located. Four years later 
(1864) he was again re-admitted to the Maine Con- 
ference, placed on the supernumerary list, and for 
some time did effective service to the Christian Com- 
mission. He retained the supernumerary relation 
until 1876, when he was placed on the list of super- 
annuates. In 1879 an d 1880 Brother Allen was 
elected to the chaplaincy of Maine Legislature. This 
was properly his last official service. 

For several years before his decease, he spent his 
leisure time in writing his autobiography, which must 
have been intensely interesting ; but a fire which de- 
stroyed his house, consumed the manuscript with the 
contents of the dwelling. It is now doubtful if any 
life of Camp-Meeting John Allen can be written which 
shall at all do justice to the man. 

Having given a brief sketch of John Allen, we 
cannot dismiss the subject without some reference to 



Eulogies of John Allen. 95 

his marked characteristics, and the experiences 
which distinguished his life and labors. 

i . We have already intimated that he was not a man 
of large natural or acquired ability. He was not in- 
tellectually profound, nor scholastically learned. 
But there was one redeeming feature about it — he 
knew it, and was humble enough to acknowledge it. 
And he often made this fact tell with prodigious 
effect. It was readily seen by all, that though he 
claimed and possessed none of the ornaments of cul- 
ture, he was, nevertheless, a natural genius. 

2. He excelled in good humor and genuine, 
sparkling wit, which was alwa}^s at command. He 
was never at a loss for an answer, and such an answer 
as sent his assailant staggering to the wall ; and yet 
it was done with such good humor as made his oppo- 
nent feel rather glad on the whole that he had been 
the occasion of developing so much of genuine, 
sparkling genius. 

As an example of his readiness on such occa- 
sions, his reply to a Baptist minister is in point. A 
ministerial association was being held in Farmington, 
where Brother Allen resided. The question up for 
discussion related to the economy of the Methodist 
Episcopal Church. In a general talk the brethren 
were giving free expression to their views on the sub- 
ject. The Baptist minister of the town being present, 
was politely invited to express his opinion. He did 
so, in a gentlemanly manner, saying that there were 
some things about the Methodist economy which he 
liked ; but, on the whole, much preferred that of the 
Baptist Church. He thought it much more simple, 
and not encumbered with as much machinery as the 



96 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Methodist Church. This was too good a chance for 
Brother Allen to let pass. He arose and said : " It is 
true, as the brother has said, there is more machinery 
in the Methodist than in the Baptist Church, but I 
want my brother to understand that it does not take 
as much water to run it as it does to run the Baptist." 
There was no answer to be made to such a reply, 
and really no offense could be taken to it, as it was 
made with his invariable good humor. 

A lawyer, who was opposed to him in politics, 
said to him just before an election : "Mr. Allen, what 
side are you going to vote on, for I have made up my 
mind to vote against you? " " Well, " said John, " I 
am going to vote on the right side ; which side are 
you going to vote on?" "Ah!" said the lawyer, 
" you have got me this time." 

3. He was a natural elocutionist. We doubt if 
the man lives who could excel John Allen in the nat- 
uralness with which he could recite a chapter from 
the Bible, or a hymn from the hymn-book. It was 
no effort at imitating a professor, but purely original 
and eminently natural. One felt, on hearing him, 
that he must have been inspired, for he not only read 
the Word of God, but he seemed to give the sense so 
clearly, that the most uncultured could not fail to un- 
derstand it fully. It seemed that if the Bible could 
be read in that manner, commentaries would hardly 
be necessary. His nephew, Dr. C. F. Allen, in a 
brief obituary, very justly says: "His recitations of 
Scripture were strikingly impressive and natural. 
They seemed like new inspirations, and charmed 
alike the cultivated and the rude auditors by the won- 
derful elocution not taught in the schools." 



Eulogies of John Allen. 97 

How often at a camp-meeting have we heard him 
at the close of a dull sermon, spring to his feet, and 
in thrilling tones repeat: "Blow ye the trumpet, 
blow ;" or " Come, sinners, to the Gospel feast." At 
once every eye would be fixed upon him, and smiles, 
tears and hearty amens would come from every side, 
and the whole face of things would change, as na- 
ture, parched and dusty, is freshened and cleansed by 
a copious shower. 

He often repeated hymns with telling effect, as a 
mode of reproof. As an example : When he was 
chaplain of the Maine State Legislature, a sort of bo- 
gus assembly, which, by doing many things it ought 
not to have done, and leaving undone many things it 
should have done, had become perfectly disgusting to 
Brother Allen, he was called upon to make the clos- 
ing prayer of the session ; and as he concluded his 
brief prayer, he arose and said, in his inimitable 
style : — 

"Blow ye the trumpet, blow, 

The gladly solemn sound ; 
Let all the nations know 

To earth's remotest bound, 
The year of jubilee is come ; 

Return, ye ransomed sinners, home P 1 

The appropriateness of the hymn, and its application 
to the audience, did not need any enforcement. 

4. Brother Allen was a most enthusiastic tem- 
perance advocate. On that subject he was always at 
home. He espoused the Washingtonian cause, and 
did all he could to help it forward. He was an ar~ 

7 



98 Eulogies of John Allen. 

dent Maine Law advocate. Whenever he spoke the 
congregation was sure to be convulsed with laughter. 
His facts and anecdotes were always sure to pierce 
the joints of the rumseller's harness. It is true he 
could not reason like Neal Dow, nor had he the dra- 
matic power of Gough ; but he could relate an inci- 
dent, tell an anecdote, repeat a Scripture text or a 
hymn, and get off a humorous argument, which 
always carried the crowd. How often have we heard 
him on such occasions, after able speeches had been 
made, perfectly electrify the crowd by his stout, 
sharp, witty, burning words. There were few men 
that the people were more delighted to hear, thirty 
years ago, than John Allen. 

5. As a preacher, Brother Allen was himself. 
He patterned after no one. He followed no model 
but his own. He was never known to be profound — 
never went beyond his depth. No one went away 
from listening to Camp-Meeting John Allen, murmur- 
ing, "It was good, no doubt, but it was too deep for 
me." He was not open to the charge which Robert 
Hall brought against Dr. Gill, the commentator. 
Mr. Hall was once asked if he did not think Dr. 
Gill's writings were deep. "Yes," was the reply, "I 
think they must be, for I was never able to find the 
bottom of them." 

As a preacher Brother Allen was plain, simple, 
direct and experimental. He was always ready to do 
as well as he could. A text from which he preached 
more frequently than from any other was : " As much 
as in me is, I am ready." In his palmy days he pos- 
sessed an excellent voice for music, which he used to 
good effect on opening and closing his sermons. His 



Eulogies of John Allen. 99 

children were gifted in this particular, and his grand- 
daughter, Lillian Norton, has acquired a world-wide 
fame as a vocalist, 

6. Brother Allen was a religious man. With all 
his wit and humor, he was deeply pious. In his early 
religious life, like most Methodist preachers of those 
days, he heartily embraced the doctrine, and entered 
into the experience of entire sanctification. But like 
too many, then and now, he did not retain the expe- 
rience. Several times during his ministerial life he 
professed to have regained the experience. Whether 
enjoying it or not, he always defended the doctrine as 
the " central idea " of Methodism. 

Up to 1867 his experience was neither uniform 
nor satisfactory. At that time a new movement was 
inaugurated. Rev. Geo. M. C. Roberts, of Balti- 
more, Rev. A. E. Ballard, a presiding elder of the 
New Jersey Conference, Rev. R. V. Lawrence, of 
the same Conference, Rev. B. M. Adams, and Rev. 
John S. Inskip, of the New York East Conference, 
Rev. Andrew Longacre and Rev. Alfred Cookman, 
with many others, united in a call for a national 
camp-meeting for the promotion of holiness, to be 
held at Vineland, N. J., July 17, 1867. That call 
came under the eye of Brother Allen, and at once he 
resolved to attend, and did so, being the onty repre- 
sentative from Maine. 

Among other representative men of the church, 
he found Bishop Simpson there, with his family, in- 
cluding a wayward son, who at that meeting was 
soundly converted to God, and dying a few months 
later, said to his mother : "I shall praise God to all 
eternity for the Vineland national camp-meeting." 



100 Eulogies of John Allen. 

It was at Vineland that Brother Allen regained 
his lost blessing — a pure heart. With a soul in- 
flamed with this fresh experience, he hastened to his 
home in Maine to tell of the rich treasure he had 
found at the national camp-meeting. His wife, who 
had known something of his vacillations in the past, 
said to him : "John, I shall watch you now, and see 
if your life corresponds with your profession." She 
did watch him, and after some months, when asked 
if he kept his temper, replied, that once during the 
time, while adjusting a stove and getting his toes 
badly hurt, she thought he stepped around a little 
more lively than usual, giving evidence that he was 
not as devotional as when leading a prayer-meeting. 

That he might have a little more freedom than he 
could have in the church, he procured a good-sized 
tent, pitched it in his garden, and held meetings in it 
almost daily. In this tent — much like Paul's own 
hired house — he preached the Wesley an gospel of 
full salvation to his Farmington friends ; and for 
twenty years he has declared this great truth, this 
blessed experience, in all parts of New England, and 
often beyond. He has been in season and out of sea- 
son — always telling what great things God did for 
him at the. Vineland national camp-meeting. 

7. He was properly named "Camp-Meeting 
John." He attended more camp-meetings than any 
other man, living or dead, reaching the number of 
376. They had special charms for him, and he was 
ever at home in such gatherings. 

He left Boston to attend a camp-meeting for the 
promotion of holiness in Epping, N. H. The train 
failed to stop at Newmarket Junction * and carried 



Eulogies of John Allen. 101 

him by. Remembering that a camp-meeting was in 
progress at his old and favored resort, East Liver- 
more, Maine, he concluded to go on and attend that 
meeting, and return in time to spend a day or two 
at Epping. But God ordered otherwise. The char- 
iot met him at East Livermore, on a camp-ground he 
himself had projected some thirty-seven years before, 
and near his old home, Farmington, where his body 
was to find its last resting place. 

And what place more appropriate for Camp- 
Meeting John Allen to die than on a camp-ground, 
during the progress of the meeting? It was at a 
camp-meeting, the first he ever attended, that he was 
converted. At the first national camp-meeting ever 
held, he finally regained the lost blessing of heart 
purity. It was from a camp-meeting that he was 
finally taken to the city of the great King. 

His death, though not unexpected, was sudden ; 
but he fell like a brave warrior, on the battlefield, in 
the midst of the fight, and was borne from the field 
by his comrades in arms, who bestowed upon him 
royal honors, and laid him to rest where 

" No sound shall awake him 
To conflict again." 

Peace to his ashes, and honor to his memory ! 

" Oh may we triumph so, 

When all our warfare's past, 
And dying, find our latest foe 
Under our feet at last." 



102 Eulogies of John Allen. 



CHAPTER VI. 



ILLUSTRATIONS OF THE CHARACTER OF REV. 
JOHN ALLEN, BY REV. R. B. HOWARD. 



AT THE FUNERAL AND BURIAL JOHN ALLEN'S 

CENTURY THE PART HE PLAYED IN ITS 

PROGRESS REMEMBERED REPARTEES HIS LOVE 

OF CAMP-MEETINGS ENTIRE SANCTIFICATION 

ANECDOTE CHARACTERIZATION QUAKER RIDGE 

REVIVAL, 1838 HE HELPS BUILD A RAILROAD 

THE FARMINGTON REVIVAL, 1862 ANECDOTE 

THE HOLINESS TENT HIS TWO WIVES VISITS 

TO ROCKPORT AND WEST MEDFORD, MASS. 

ANECDOTE CONFIDENCE IN THE UNION CAUSE 

RELIGIOUS CHARACTER AND PERSONAL QUALITIES. 



[The following, from the diary of Rev. R. B. Howard, secretary 
of the American Peace Society, written on the spot and afterwards 
published in the Advocate of Peace, which is edited by him, we 
publish in its original form to preserve the freshness and spirit of 
the record then made. — Editor.~\ 

Friday, September 2. Attended the funeral servi- 
ces of Rev. John Allen, " Camp-Meeting John," who, 
at the age of ninety-two and one-half years, and at 



Eulogies of John Allen. 103 

his 374th camp-meeting, fell quietly asleep on the 
East Livermore, Me., camp-ground, Wednesday, 
August 31st. His funeral services were conducted 
by his ministerial brethren of the Maine M. E. 
Conference. His dark-covered coffin was in front of 
the altar, where for thirty-five years he had rarely 
failed to speak, and pray and sing. His early con- 
temporaries were nearly all gone, and " the bearers" 
and others who took part in the services were, though 
elderly men, two generations his juniors. Three 
thousand people were present. Rev. W. H. Foster, a 
native of my own town of Leeds, whose conversion I 
remember when a boy, offered prayer. A large 
choir sung Brother Allen's favorite hymn often re- 
peated by him : 

M God moves in a mysterious way." 

He used to repeat Scripture with such great facil- 
ity and in a manner so characteristic of himself that 
Dr. Charles Cullis of Boston, who gave a simple and 
touching address founded on the 23d Psalm, said he 
was the most natural reciter of Scripture he ever 
heard. He wished that all of us could so assimilate 
the spirit and language of the Bible to our personality. 
The choir again sung the fitting words of Mont- 
gomery : 

" The pains of death are past, 
Labor and sorrow cease : 
And, life's long warfare closed at last, 

His soul is found in peace. 
Soldier of Christ well done, 

Praise be thy new employ ; 
And, while eternal ages run, 
Rest in thy Saviour's joy." 



104 Eulogies of John Allen. 

His last pastor at Farmington, Me., (where he 
was my own neighbor for ten years) , Rev. L. H. Bean, 
gave a simple and touching account of the closing 
hour. Tell the brethren, said the dying man, "God 
is my refuge and strength, a present help in time of 
trouble." The skies then began to weep, and we 
placed his body in the hearse and followed him to « 
the railroad station, and at Farmington again followed 
in procession to " Riverside Cemetery," which I have 
so often visited on similarly sad errands. He had 
erected an "Allen" monument, and beside the re- 
mains of his wife, in a grave festooned by the loving 
hands of neighbors with evergreen, speaking words 
of holy promise and prayer, we committed his body 
to the ground, " dust to dust, ashes to ashes," and his 
spirit to God who gave it. His son John and wife, his 
daughter Augusta (Mrs. Lothrop) and two sons, his 
son-in-law, L. W. Howes, Esq. and daughter, a 
grand-daughter, Mrs. Baldwin, all of Boston, and a 
large number of Mr. Allen's townsmen were present. 
At evening the Baptist church was thrown open and 
nearly filled with people. The pastor, Rev. H. W. 
Tilden, conducted the singing, Rev. L. H. Bean pre- 
sided, the writer spoke briefly and Dr. Cullis preached 
on "/ believe God" — Acts xxvii : 25, in a very im- 
pressive way, illustrating his discourse by incidents 
in his own life-work of faith for consumptives, and 
those afflicted with spinal diseases and cancers. The 
death of their well-known and honored townsman also 
suggested precious thoughts to all the speakers. 

John Allen's century has been one remarkable for 
many things ; and in them he bore no mean part. 
He was prime mover in the first temperance society 



Eulogies of John Allen. 105 

in Farmington, Jan. 3, 1829. He was an eloquent 
advocate of and a subscriber to the earliest railroad 
enterprises. He was a circuit preacher, riding from 
place to place, and by his earnestness and persistence 
bringing many a man upon his knees before God for 
the first time. Such was the fact in the family of the 
writer in 1838. 

He was not the first, but among the first, to oppose 
the institution of slavery. The first missionaries to 
foreign lands did not leave America till he was seven- 
teen years old. His brother Harrison was a mission- 
ary to the Indians. Two men were at the funeral, Rev. 
Stephen Allen and Mr. Norcross of New Sharon, who 
were at the camp-meeting in Industry, 1825, where 
John Allen was converted from — to use his own words 
— "a swearing sinner to a shouting Methodist/' His 
controversies with Calvinists and Universalists were 
more remarkable on his part for ready wit than pro- 
found argument. He once helped out one of our 
hypercritical meetings with "Brethren, I have 
learned that it takes little grace to find fault." He 
saw the rise, and, in many of its useful aspects, the 
decadence of the camp-meeting. He contributed to 
and lived beside a church edifice at home, which, re- 
peated in suitable form in every town, would make 
out-of-door meetings less necessary than in 1825 when 
there were few or no meeting-houses in many towns 
in Maine. But he was never so happy as in "the 
tented grove." The very roughness and discomfort of 
tent-life chimed in with his not over-sensitive nature. 
The loud singing and preaching, the shouting, the 
intense spiritual excitement in the "tents" and at 
the " altar," the " closet " exercises in a shady nook, 



106 Eulogies of John Allen. 

the leading out of a sinner to such a spot for conver- 
sation and prayer, the dim light of the overhanging 
lamps at night, the very noisiness of the uninterested 
crowd outside, were not without attraction to him. 
But beside and deeper than all these in his heart of 
hearts, was the salvation of his fellow-sinners — " men 
of like passions " as himself. 

He believed in the Wesleyan doctrine of entire 
salification and professed to experience it at Vine- 
land, N. J., in 1867. But his manner was hardly less 
subdued and his conversation and spirit not remark- 
ably changed. He and his wife had been through 
that terrible test of Christian patience, putting up a 
stove. He was speaking of his having lived without 
sin. His cautious, conscientious wife remarked, 
" Husband, didn't you move that stove a little quick?" 

" O wad some power the giftie gie us 
To see oursel's as ithers see us." 

He had a grandfather's pride in the musical re- 
nown of the Prima Donna, Lilian Norton. His be- 
loved daughter, Mrs. Lothrop, made him a pleasant 
home in Boston after the burning of his Farmington 
house. 

" I will go home in the morning," he said to the 
tender watchers around him when he was dying. 
His heart longed for his quiet room and his daugh- 
ter's presence. But God had another kind of a* 
" morning " and another " home" for our brother. 

"Joy, O joy, behold the Saviour ! 

Joy, O joy, the message hear, 

Fll stand by until the morning, 



Eulogies of John Allen. 107 

I've come to save you, do not fear. 
Yes, Fll stand by until the morning, 
I've come to save you, do not fear." 

As Dr. Cullis so well said, "to him the valley of 
death was very short." It had no shadow. In the 
morning, the light on that manly brow 

" It was the sunlight only." 

I may not say more, but he was indeed "rare 
John Allen." His ingenuousness, wit, good nature, 
broad sympathy for all good things and people, his 
occasional bursts of eloquence, his hearty songs of 
praise, his cheerful words in the dark hours of great 
enterprises, his upright conduct, his evangelizing 
spirit and undeviating, unquenchable faith were to 
me a personal blessing and inspiration. 

It would not be difficult to point out defects in 
character and culture. Others may do that. I prefer 
to " say nothing unless good" of my departed friend. 

The "Diary" closes here, but the writer will, by 
request* add further reminiscences. It is now, (1888), 
just half a century since the remarkable revival at 
Quaker Ridge in Leeds. Salmon Brewster and Na- 
than Stetson, two of the converts, have died within 
the year, at an age only a little less than that of their 
always-beloved preacher. That work of grace resus- 
citated an almost dead church, organized a vigorous 
" class, "built a commodious chapel, and gave relig- 
ious privileges to an interesting neighborhood, other- 



108 Eulogies of John Allen, 

wise destitute. He has since occasionally visited and 
preached in the vicinity, and was a welcome guest at 
all homes. It was my childhood's home, and anec- 
dotes were frequently told of Camp-Meeting John. 

Our stepfather, Col. John Gilmore, was for many 
vears treasurer of the railroad, which, after weary 
years and many sacrifices, was completed from Leeds 
to Farmington, thirty-six miles, in 1859. ^ n * ts var i" 
ous stages of pecuniary embarrassment, and when 
utter failure and hopeless bankruptcy seemed inevit- 
able, the enterprise never lacked the good cheer of 
John Allen's witty and encouraging speeches, and 
such subscriptions as he could make. One of his 
sallies would vitalize the atmosphere of a despondent 
railroad meeting, and put heart into the oft-defeated 
leaders of a forlorn enterprise. 

But my greatest intimacy with him was during 
the ten years from i860 to 1870, that I was his neigh- 
bor ; years of unmarred social intercourse and grow- 
ing friendship. During the revival of 1862 he was 
in Farmington. What he had been in so many 
school-houses, churches and leafy groves, he was 
here — fervid, indefatigable, running over with ear- 
nest and personal persuasions to everybody to turn 
unto the Lord. He seized upon every circumstance, 
even used the fears of the superstitious, to enforce a 
present and real duty. A man who lived two miles 
from the village was awakened in the night and 



Eulogies of John Allen. 109 

alarmed by the falling tin basins and pans from the 
upper shelf of his pantry. He told Mr- Allen he 
could not understand what a thing so strange and un- 
accountable could mean. "It means, my friend, 
give your heart to God ! " was the immediate response. 
" God may never call you again. Get on your 
knees, let us pray." The man was converted and 
lived a Christian life thereafter. At such times, Mr. 
Allen w r as impatient at slow movements, but never 
showed it by irritation. 

After his second conversion at Vineland in 1867, 
he erected a tent in the rear of his house at Farming- 
ton, and invited all to meet him and pray for holiness 
of heart. As the winter advanced the weather grew 
cold and the snow deep, but, nothing daunted, boards 
were laid for a floor, a stove was set for heat, and the 
meetings went on. I well remember one meeting 
when only three of us were present, but we enjoyed 
pleading the divine promises to prayer. 

The first Mrs. Allen, who was alluded to in the 
diary, w r as the direct opposite of her husband in tem- 
perament. She was methodical, conscientious in 
little things, a most faithful and devoted wife and 
mother. His clothing was always ready for his sud- 
den journeys, on which she seldom accompanied him. 
In the earlier period of his ministry, both the flour and 
the pork barrel were often lower than their frequent 
guests knew. She was the planner and provider of 



110 Eulogies of John Allen. 

the household, "the power behind the throne." He 
never appeared in public without bearing marks of 
her painstaking care. His was essentially a social 
and public life. She was quiet and domestic in her 
tastes, and, indeed, she was forced to small econo- 
mies and diligent labor to provide things necessary at 
home. He was a sincere mourner at her death, 
(1875)5 an d hi s home and his person suffered in ap- 
pearance and in fact, by her departure. 

His subsequent marriage with Mrs. Fellows gave 
him a wife who, till she was stricken with paralysis, 
enjoyed accompanying him on his journeys, and pub- 
licly laboring in religious meetings. After the death 
of his second wife, from 1881 to the loss of his house 
by fire in October, 1886, he kept a room for his 
exclusive use, and boarded with a kind family to 
whom he rented the rest of his house. 

After 1870, when I changed my residence to 
Illinois, I saw less of Mr. Allen. In 1882, I had a 
pleasant visit from him at Rockport, Mass., where he 
gave his laughter-breeding reminiscences of early life 
in my church, and enjoyed meeting the widow of his 
missionary brother, Harrison — Mrs. Nancy E. 
Brooks, now of Gloucester. 

In the winter of 1886, with other friends from 
Maine, he dined with us at West Medford. While at 
table, a minister who was present turned to him with 
the inquiry, " Mr. Allen, what is the secret of living 



Eulogies of John Allen. Ill 

so long as you have done?" "Keep on breathing" 
was the quick response. 

The period of the civil war at Farmington, as else- 
where, " tried men's souls." At all meetings for the 
kindling and expression of love of country and of the 
Union, and the denunciation of secession and slavery, 
Camp-Meeting John was a welcome speaker. His 
faith and courage never shrank even in the darkest 
hour. A miniature rebellion in the north part of 
Franklin county and a hooting at colored people 
even in Farmington followed the draft and the New 
York riots. When the defeat of the Union armies 
gave courage to the opponents of the war, they used 
to say, " the bonds are not good ; the greenbacks are 
worthless, or will become so." Anything dependent 
on the permanence and perpetuity of the national 
government was, with disheartened citizens, at a dis- 
count; but John Allen never faltered in his faith, and 
was always ready to proclaim it. 

Just so in the temperance cause. From youth to 
death it had a no more earnest or consistent advocate. 
When the Constitutional Amendment was voted on 
in Maine, a red-rum-faced man was soliciting "no" 
votes and flourishing his own at the town meeting. 
Mr. Allen came in and was saluted with "How 
will you vote, Uncle John?" "I need not ask you," 
was the quick reply, "Your face has already 
voted ! " 



112 Eulocies of John Allen. 

It does not seem to me that Mr. Allen was so 
finely and completely sympathetic with others as are 
many natures less robust and aggressive. Young 
people were fond of hearing him, more I think, on 
account of his contagious magnetism and overflowing 
humor, than of that personal identification with the 
thoughts and struggles of the young that character- 
izes great teachers and some great preachers. 

His peculiar personal influence was more espec- 
ially on those of middle life, whose temperament was 
similar to his own. Many such have been struck 
with arrows of conviction, which flew from his full 
quiver ; many others have yielded to his forceful per- 
suasions to kneel, to pray, to yield their wills and con- 
secrate themselves to God. He sometimes aided 
nature and co-operated with conscience by a gentle 
pressure of the hand upon the persons of those sinners 
whom he knew ought to bow in prayer. 

He rose to his highest enjoyment in the songs of 
deliverance. He was a natural but not a cultivated 
singer. He had a voice that led better than it har- 
monized with others, but it was never out of time or 
tune. I can almost hear him pouring out his grateful 
songs and shouting, 

" Ring the bells of Heaven, 
There is joy to-day." 

In prayer he never seemed broken-spirited, and 
was not always deeply reverent. His clear voice 



Eulogies of John Allen. 113 

would take the upward cadence. He would recite 
many promises, utter arguments as appropriate to man 
as to God, and sometimes his manner was apparently 
apologetic on account of temporary and enforced se- 
riousness. 

In evangelistic labors in which he abounded, he 
employed the doctrines and methods of 1840, rather 
than those of 1880. His faith in supernatural regen- 
eration, a free will and a full welcome to gospel priv- 
ileges, never abated. If less severe on " Calvinism," 
it was from an increase of benevolent feeling towards 
errorists, rather than change of belief. He was a lit- 
tle impatient if his brethren were slow, dry, lengthy 
and unedifying. 

He did not hesitate to work with his hands on the 
land which he owned near the village. His horse, 
used at times in missionary tours, was not unfre- 
quently seen in the cart and hay-rack with his 
owner driving. He sometimes brought home the 
thank-offerings of his hearers in the form of bags 
of oats or corn. I once jokingly complained to him 
that he spoiled the market for pulpit " supplies" be- 
cause he would preach for little or nothing. He said 
he " probably received all that it was worth ! " 

His will was not always submissive when he dif- 
fered from his neighbors in small transactions. Some 
were not slow to speak of his faults to his face (when 
they usually suffered from the lex talionis) and some- 



114 Eulogies of John Allen. 

times to me and other friends. He was manly in 
owning a mistake, but his whole make-up rendered 
penitence, tenderness, confession and tears unnatural. 
He was never apparently tortured by doubt, dazed by 
perplexity or harrassed by many temptations common 
to more delicate and sensitive natures. 

The universal tribute of a laugh that followed his 
stories and repartees in the stores and on the street 
tempted him to say things sometimes more ludicrous 
than reverent, more broadly humorous than refined. 
He sincerely regretted these sallies when he yielded 
to the temptation of " answering a fool according to 
his folly," or answered the idle and cheered the sombre 
with anecdotes whose hero was himself. 

He had slight temptation to a sedentary life, and 
cared little for merely literary pursuits. He studied no 
more than seemed necessary for pulpit preparation, 
and wrote with small ease and satisfaction to himself. 
At our minister's meetings he was a welcome but in- 
frequent attendant. 

Rev. J. S. Swift, a Farmington Free Baptist and 
editor, was extremely fond of out of the way books, 
studies and discussions. He and Mr. Allen had in- 
tellectually little in common. It was sometimes 
amusing and instructive to hear their opinions of each 
other and to participate with them in union meetings. 

When I adopted the work of international peace 
and arbitration for the remainder of a life for a quarter 



Eulogies of John Allen. 115 

of a century spent in the pastorate, Mr. Allen came 
to hear me " give a reason for the hope that was in 
me," at the Congregational church in Farmington. 
His attention and interest were unmistakable, but the 
"amens" were few. The acquiescense was cordial 
but not enthusiastic, apparently more for my sake 
than for that of my cause. The broad and impersonal 
aspect of my work did not move him as did the more 
immediate, local and personal efforts of an evangelist 
or pastor. The preaching of peace was true, 
necessary and excellent, but not personally salvatory. 

Mr. Allen's life-work was the saving of sinners, 
and when evangelists like E. P. Hammond came to 
Farmington he was alive all through and all over. 
His last winter in Boston with Sam Jones and Sam 
Small has been alluded to. How happy he was in 
the ministers meetings, at the Monday lectures and 
on other public occasions ! 

The opening of this chapter leaves the manly 
frame of John Allen quietly waiting the resurrection at 
the lovely place which he had prepared for his recep- 
tion. The editor wishes me to look 

" Within the veil and see 
This saint above, how great his joy, 
How bright his glories be." 

I cannot do it.* " The veil of sense hangs dark 
between." But I cannot conceive even of the soul of 

* The editor is satisfied with the reply in its totality. He is 
opposed to regarding the realm beyond the tomb as a universal 



116 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Brother Allen, absent as it is from his formerly unrest- 
ing body, engaged in nothing but contemplation 
and repose. If there be some long, swift errands to do 
in heaven ; if there be any praise meetings of angels 
over other worlds redeemed, or sinners recently con- 
verted, such employments are congenial to him 
if he remains at all like his old redeemed self while 
on earth. Especially if there be any encampment of 
heavenly hosts with no temple but the groves, where 
songs of praise resound and stories of redeeming love 
are repeated with shouts of thanksgiving — there is 
where I will look for my old friend and neighbor. 
He will enjoy doing as he pleases. He could not 
always do it here. His heavenly mansion outshines 
the renovated cottage of which he was so proud and 
which vanished one night in flame. The pains of 
death were in his feet many weary nights while his 
heart beat with all fulness and his brain throbbed with 
its wonted activity. It will please him to have 
wings — even railroads were not too quick for him. 
The tidings of sinners converted, which God commu- 
nicates to the "presence angels," will reach him. 
How he will sing again, 

" 'Twas great to speak a world from naught, 
; Twas greater to redeem !" 

gloom, in which we can perceive nothing that bears likeness to our 
healthful and holy activities here, — nothing which affords antici- 
pations of a degree of happiness rarely attained while in the physi- 
cal body. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 117 

We cannot weep for the " happy old man," as he 
used to call himself. God fills all places made vacant 
on earth in his owntim-e and way, and as to heaven — 

By-and-bye we shall meet him, 
By-and-bye we shall greet him, 
And with Jesus reign in glory by-and-bye. 



118 Eulogies of John Allen. 



CHAPTER VII. 



REV. J. W. HAMILTON ON CAMP-MEETING JOHN 

ALLEN. 



THE OFFICE OF JOHN ALLEN IN THE M. E. 

CHURCH HIS EARLY LIFE AND CONVERSION 

HIS BROTHER CONVERTED TO METHODISM PER- 
SONAL DESCRIPTION OF JOHN ALLEN QUALITY 

OF HIS WIT HIS MODE OF PREACHING. 



Versatility of genius is more marked in the Meth- 
odist Episcopal Church than in any other body of 
Christian believers in America. There are men dis- 
tinguished by traits of mind and character which are 
many and diverse. Some have shown great adapta- 
bility to periods, as the pioneers and reformers. Some 
have distinguished themselves as preachers, others as 
educators, and still others as writers. There have 
been distinguished administrators, noted pastors and 
great evangelists. There are men who in our thought 
or memory of them, are indissolubly joined to institu- 
tions which have been distinguished by them or by 
which they have been distinguished. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 119 

Camp-Meeting John Allen has a period and an 
institution all to himself. He was accustomed to say 
when he was addressed as "Dr. Allen": "No, sir, 
thank you. You Doctors of Divinity have many 
honorables among you ; but there is only one of us." 

Born before the first camp-meetings were held, 
he lived to be a kind of presiding genius over their 
history. What they were, in a sense he was, and 
where they were he always was, time and distance 
consenting. 

He had his birth March 7, 1795, in a cabin home 
in Farmington, Me. His father, William Allen, 
w r ho had married Love Coffin, went from Martha's 
Vineyard to Farmington in 1792. John was a genius 
from the beginning. But during his boyhood his hu- 
morous disposition and lively manners only served to 
entertain his youthful companions as they went about 
their sports. He had no thought of the ministry, and 
little care for his training and education, and yet he 
managed to get together something out of his scanty 
store of books and privileges with which to teach a 
number of terms of school. He married October 20, 
1820, Annah S. Hersey, who was born in Augusta. 
In December, 1824, he signed, " when there was need 
of it," as he said, a temperance pledge, which was 
the beginning of the first Temperance Society in 
Farmington. In June, 1825, he attended his first 
camp-meeting at Industry, and was there converted 



120 Eulogies of John Allen. 

on the 29th of the month. In describing the experi- 
ence, the writer has often heard him say, that he 
" went there a swearing Universalist and came back 
a shouting Methodist." When his brother, who was 
not a Christian, heard of his conversion, he said, 
" John takes too high ground, he can never sustain 
it." But John replied, "Tell Brother Bill he takes 
too low ground, he never can sustain that." 

He began to preach in 1828 as a local preacher, 
and after seven years in the local ministry he joined 
the Maine Conference, and was sent to the circuit 
where his brother lived. In a little time the latter 
was converted and joined the Methodists. In an old 
journal which this brother kept from day to day, is 
found the following tribute to his brother, the 
preacher : " Brother John was the rudest of our fam- 
ily, but he went to camp-meeting and got converted, 
and then he was so zealous we were afraid he 
wouldn't hold out, but he has succeeded far better 
than we expected." 

It was in 1835 that Mr. Allen joined the Confer- 
ence at Bangor, and was ordained deacon by Bishop 
Emory ; and in 1838 at Wiscasset he w r as ordained 
elder by Bishop Hedding. 

He was not a tall man, nor large man, but like 
Paul and Wesley, he "found the blessedness of being 
little." Grace, however, had shaped his form, and 
he was a man of symmetrical measure. He had a 



Eulogies of John Allen. 121 

"reverend head," "decent shoulders," and was 
"built stout and straight." His unkempt silk hat 
helped him to look like a minister. He went about 
with a quick, nervous movement, and on the platform 
or in the pulpit, his muscles seemed to jerk at the 
touch of his wit. He would throw his hands through 
his hair, to help out his gestures, and step up into his 
clothes, with a John Allen movement, whenever he 
would say a bright thing or make an eccentric re- 
mark. " He shined eccentric." There was nothing 
forced or unnatural in his manner. He was perfectly 
composed, if not complacent in all his demeanor, and 
his quaintness came forth as smoothly and orderly as 
the clear running water out of the side of the moun- 
tain. 

It would not be just to say that his humor was 
only comical, for there was a dignity about it which 
never permitted him to be ludicrous. He was not hi- 
larious nor frolicsome. He was mirthful and droll. 
He indulged in merriment rather than jollity. He 
uttered bright and amusing sayings, and was distin- 
guished for his repartee. He seldom indulged in 
satire, or sarcasm or irony in the harsh sense, but his 
wit exhibited no little ingenuity, as well as an agree- 
able or congenial humor. He had no enemies because 
of his witticisms, but by them, he made himself pre- 
eminently popular. How could it be otherwise? — 
" the laughers are a majority." 



122 Eulogies of John Allen. 

The best things he has said will never be printed : 
many things kept in the traditions will never be for- 
gotten. Some of the more laughable things he has 
told were at his own expense, and happened during 
the early years of his ministry, though not a few oc- 
curred after he was ninety years old. He attempted 
to lecture after he had reached four-score years, and 
he called his lecture " Reminiscences." An old lady 
in one of the country towns of Maine who knew 
" Brother Allen" to be an ardent advocate for tem- 
perance, heard of his lecture, and misapprehending 
the trend of his discourse said, as he reported it, she 
could not tell what had come over him, that he had 
gone to lecturing on "Rum and Essences." The 
writer met him a few months before his death in the 
Methodist Book Room in Boston, and said "Brother 
Allen, how are you at ninety-two?" Instantly he re- 
plied "I am beginning to feel as I have seen a great 
many old people act. My feet trouble me a great 
deal, but I presume I ought not to complain, for most 
people begin to die at the top." 

His limited education troubled him very consider- 
ably in getting at the meaning of the Scriptures, 
when he began to preach. He said that his attain- 
ments often led him to abandon some of his best ser- 
mons. Among his first efforts was a sermon he 
preached from the text, "The works of His hands 
are verity and judgment." His idea of the text, he 



Eulogies of John Allen. 123 

said, gave him great "scope and much liberty," for 
he read the verse as follows: "The works of His 
hands are variety and judgment." On another oc- 
casion when he was dealing "shoulder-blows" at 
Universalism, he quoted a passage of Scripture, which 
a Universalist brother who was present was disposed 
to question. He arose in the congregation and said, 
"Brother Allen, that verse don't read so in my 
Bible." Hoping to divert his criticism by putting the 
Universalist to a test of his own knowledge of the 
Bible, he answered, "Very well, Brother, how does 
it read in your Bible?" To the preacher's utter dis- 
comfiture, the man took from his pocket a well-worn 
copy of the Scriptures and began to read correctly 
the verse which had been quoted. The resources of 
his wit, upon which the camp-meeting divine so often 
relied for his defense, came to his rescue the moment 
the reading was ended, and he answered again, 
" Thank you, my Brother. I thank you very much 
for your help, but the fact is, I have been a poor ig- 
norant, and miserable Universalist for the most of my 
life, and you will have to forgive me for not getting 
things straight all at once." 

Like the apostle in speaking to the Corinthians, 
he had " great boldness of speech," but his humor so 
mollified his demands that he could say about what 
he pleased when he was preaching, with " free utter- 
ance." He spoke from the pulpit of the People's 



124 Eulogies of John Allen, 

Church in Boston one Sunday afternoon, when it oc- 
curred to his mind, among other things to denounce 
the use of tobacco. An aged Methodist brother, 
whose habits held him to a pipe, — it was always in 
his mouth or his pocket, — was much stirred by the 
camp-meeting preacher's sermon, and he came 
straight to the pulpit at the close of the meeting, 
where he said with much feeling, " Brother Allen, did 
you mean me in your sermon to-day ? " Quick as 
the words could get to his lips, Brother Allen re- 
sponded, "To tell the truth, I could not help but 
think of you." In another city church there was a 
Methodist layman who had the reputation of possess- 
ing great riches, and so loving his money as seldom 
to part with any of it. This layman often led the 
prayer and social meeting, and usually he would be- 
gin with the reading of a Scripture lesson, after 
which he would pronounce a homily at great length. 
Upon the invitation of the Methodist money-king, 
"Brother Allen" at one time accompanied him to 
the church, and within the altar rail, to a seat behind 
the desk. The preacher was not invited "to open 
the meeting" but the layman proceeded as his custom 
was to read and comment. He read the chapter de- 
scribing "the golden calf," exhorted vehemently, 
and then called upon Brother Allen to pray. Evi- 
dently Camp-Meeting John "had his thoughts," for 
he rose and came forward demurely, and said with- 



Eulogies of John Allen. 125 

out the apparent movement of a muscle in his face, 
" Some people don't wait until their gold is made into 
calves to worship it. Let us pray." 

Many a preacher of less courage has been re- 
signed, to say the least, when Brother Allen has said 
some things which he would like to say himself. On 
one of the camp-grounds in Maine, when a collection 
was to be taken, Brother Allen volunteered to be one 
of the collectors, and started with the others to re- 
ceive the people's contributions. In a part of the 
congregation distant from him along another aisle, a 
man with purposed ostentation arose and called out, 
" Brother Allen, this way, money, money." Leaving 
his place and going across the encampment to the 
man who held his money in his hands, Brother Allen 
passed to him his hat, and received his offering. 
Bringing the hat back to his face, he peered into its 
depths, until he had descried the money in the bottom 
of it, when he cried out, " Lord bless Squire Whitney 
ten cents worth." He then hastened back to his ap- 
pointed direction and finished his part of " taking the 
collection." One Sunday morning, during a love 
feast on one of the New England camp-grounds, a 
young Methodist minister arose with much self- 
possession, and said with rather a pompous air, "I 
do not believe in singing ' Oh to be nothing ; ' I pro- 
pose to be something, and I want my people to know 
it, and the preachers too." The case demanded re- 



126 Eulogies of John Allen. 

buke, and Brother Allen was ready. He rose as 
promptly as if he had been set for the occasion, and 
said, " If a man think himself to be something, when 
he is nothing, he deceiveth himself. But let every 
man prove his own work, and then shall he have re- 
joicing in himself alone, and not in another." 

We shall remember Brother Allen quite as much 
for his inimitable way of reading the Scriptures in the 
public congregation, as for his other eccentricities of 
genius. In his repeating whole chapters from his 
memory there was a " majesty in simplicity" above 
all his " quaintness of wit." No wonder that he was 
so often asked where he had studied elocution ! 

i ' He was a man, take him for all in all, 
I shall not look upon his like again." 

He that ascended up far above all heavens gave 
some apostles, and some prophets, and some evan- 
gelists, and some pastors and teachers, and one 
" Camp-Meeting John Allen." 



Eulogies of John Allen. 127 



CHAPTER VIII 



THE NEWSPAPER PRESS ON REV. JOHN ALLEN. 



mr. allen's last journey — personal incidents 

of his last camp-meeting and illness the 

memorial window brief sketch of his life 

the funeral reminiscences his last will 

and testament the boston globe's estimate 

of his character and popularity. 



The tributes of regard on the occasion of the death 
of " Camp-Meeting John" were quite universal in the 
newspaper press of New England, but we have space 
left for two only, which may be taken as fairly repre- 
sentative of all. In its issue of Thursday, Sept. 8th, 
the week following the death of Mr. Allen, the Farm- 
ington Chronicle, a leading paper of his county, 
published in the town which for many years had been 
the residence of the deceased minister, printed the fol- 
lowing editorial article : — 

This community was shocked last Wednesday 
eve on receipt of a telegram by Rev. E. Gerry from 
Rev. C. E. Bisbee, dated East Livermore camp- 



128 Eulogies of John Allen, 

ground, announcing that Rev. John Allen, commonly 
known as Camp-Meeting John Allen, died on the 
grounds at 5 o'clock that afternoon. He was at- 
tending camp-meeting now in session there, it being 
the 374th he had attended. The evening previous 
he preached a sermon which greatly exhausted him, 
so that he was quite sick the next morning, but rallied 
in the afternoon and sat up in his chair conversing 
with friends apparently in usual health. Mr. Allen 
assisted in laying out the grounds upon which he died, 
also in organizing the East Livermore Camp-meeting 
Association over thirty-five years ago. 

Mr. Allen's home here was burned in the great 
fire last October, since which time he had resided with 
a daughter in Boston. He started from there the first 
of the week to attend a camp-meeting in New Hamp- 
shire, but the train carried him past the point, so he 
concluded to keep on to the East Livermore meeting. 

Lyman G. Preston returned from the camp- 
ground that night and w r as very much shocked to 
learn of Mr. Allen's death. " Why," said he, "I 
was talking with the old gentleman at 4 o'clock in the 
afternoon, and he seemed very bright and cheerful." 
It is thought heart trouble was the immediate cause 
of his death. 

Mr. Allen was fearful his end was near, however, 
for early in the afternoon he called Revs. L. H. Bean 
and Stephen Allen into his cottage and made the 
necessary arrangements to place a $300 memorial 
window for himself in the new Methodist church 
building here. 

The old gentleman started from Boston, where he 
had been stopping with his daughter since the Farm- 





MEMORIAL WINDOW OF CAMP- MEETING JOHN ALLEN IN THE M. E. CHURCH, 
FARMINGTON, ME. 



(Made by BRAY & BRECK, 35 &c 37 Province Street, Boston.) 



Eulogies of John Allen. 129 

ington fire, Monday morning, for Epping, N. H., to 
attend a camp-meeting. Not hearing the name of 
the station called, he was carried by. The con- 
ductor offered to carry him back, but he refused, say- 
ing, " Drive on ; better things ahead." 

After arriving at the grounds he appeared worn 
out and tired from his journey. His customary good 
spirits and vigor soon manifested themselves, how- 
ever, and nothing serious was apprehended even to 
the hour of his death. 

Tuesday forenoon he seemed brighter and took 
part in the meeting during the day. At night he 
took no supper. In the evening prayer-meeting he 
spoke to considerable length. The most of his re- 
marks were to the effect that it was the last camp- 
meeting he would ever attend, and that he would soon 
pass to the other world. 

Wednesday morning he felt better than the day 
before. He ate a very hearty breakfast. Soon after 
he w r as in gfeat distress. He soon recovered from 
this spell. During the afternoon he seemed bright 
and cheerful, and chatted pleasantly with those 
around him. 

Not a great while ago he said to a friend, " I had 
as lief die on the East Livermore camp-ground as any 
place in the world." Only a few hours before his 
death, he told the following story, which was en- 
joyed heartily by his hearers : He was at Augusta 
one time, when a young man came up to him and 
abused the Methodists in round terms. The fellow 
said that his father had been a Methodist minister and 
had kept shaking him over hell for twenty years. 



130 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Said Camp-Meeting John, " Well, it was a pity he 
hadn't dropped you." 

At about 3 o'clock he signed the papers neces- 
sary to the dedication of a memorial window to him- 
self in the new Methodist church at Farmington. 

His death, which occurred in the cottage of J. 
Wortly, was so easy and sudden that those in the 
room hardly noticed it. He was sitting in an arm 
chair, when he took a long breath and fell back dead. 
His face looked as natural as life, and it seemed as if 
he had just fallen asleep. 

The last sentence he uttered was, " I shall be 
ready to go to Boston to-morrow morning." 

The body was embalmed Thursday morning by 
J. F. JefFerds of Livermore Falls. 

The deceased was born March 7, 1795, in a log 
cabin in this town. He had very little of the privi- 
lege of schools. When he was seventeen he attended 
Farmington Academy a few weeks. Afterwards he 
was apprenticed to a clothier, teaching school in the 
winter. He was wild and reckless in his youth : and 
while attending the camp-meeting for the purpose of 
making fun he became converted. After that, camp- 
meetings had a peculiar charm for him and he attended 
them far and near as often as convenient, till his 
death. Having commenced preaching in mature life, 
he was admitted as a member of the Maine Confer- 
ence and stationed at different appointments which he 
successfully filled, and after a long period of active 
work was placed on the superannuated list. As a 
preacher he was original and interesting ; as a pastor 
faithful and diligent. He was ever distinguished for 



Eulogies of John Allen. 131 

his wit, opponents having reason to fear him on account 
of his sharp and ready repartee. 

He served as chaplain of the Maine House of 
Representatives in 1879 an< ^ '81. He leaves two 
daughters (one of whom is the mother of Lilian 
Norton Gower, the noted vocalist) and one son. 

The Funeral. It is estimated that over 3,000 
people attended the obsequies of Mr. Allen, on the 
EastLivermore camp-ground, last Friday afternoon, — 
said to be the largest crowd ever on the grounds. 
The forenoon trains were loaded, while carriages 
streamed in great numbers from all directions during 
the latter part of the forenoon. The opportunity for 
viewing the remains before the funeral ceremonies was 
eagerly taken advantage of by the multitude. The 
remains of the aged divine, in a suit of plain black, 
reposed in a black broadcloth casket which was 
placed in front of the platform, in accordance with 
the oft expressed wish of Mr. Allen. A calm, peace- 
ful look rested upon his face as though he were 
asleep. On the centre panel of the casket was a 
plain plate bearing the following inscription : "Rev. 
John Allen, died Aug. 31, 1887, a g e d 92 years, 6 
months." 

The services opened with a voluntary by a choir 
of sixteen voices, led by Everett Bean of Farmington. 
after which the exercises were as follows : Reading 
of hymn, Rev. W. S. Mclntire of Brunswick; read- 
ing of Scripture, Rev. A. S. Lack! of Auburn ; prayer 
Rev. W. H. Foster of Yarmouth ; reading of hymn, 
Rev. G. C. Andrews of Wilton ; address, Rev. 
Charles Cullis of Boston; address Rev. L. H. 
Bean of Farmington. The service was in charge of 



132 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Rev. G. C. Andrews of Wilton, who. acted as presid- 
ing elder during the absence of Rev. C. J. Clark in 
Cincinnati. 

Dr. Cullis spoke of an agreement made several 
years ago with the dead preacher to preach his 
funeral sermon. The speaker last met him in Chic- 
ago at a convention. In parting he said to Dr. Cullis : 
Now don't forget your promise. Dr. Cullis took his 
text from the 23d Psalm. He spoke of his first meet- 
ing with Camp-Meeting John Allen, and of the 
latter's many natural gifts, long and active Christian 
life, and his great influence upon all he met. It was 
a very eloquent address and was listened to very at- 
tentively by the large audience. 

Rev. L. H. Bean, of Farmington, followed with a 
few remarks, vividly reviewing scenes of- the few 
days prior to Mr. Allen's death. At the Tuesday 
evening meeting he spoke very positively to the effect 
that he w r ould soon be called above. Afterwards, 
when he went to the Wayne chapel, he repeated his 
statements which cast a gloom over his hearers. Be- 
ing asked if he thought it was best for him to go to 
Boston, he replied, "Oh, yes, you can get me to the 
depot somehow, and think I can travel as fast as any 
of them." 

At the conclusion of Mr. Bean's address rain be- 
gan to fall and the service closed. The procession 
then formed with Rev. T. F. Jones as marshal, and 
marched to the East Livermore depot where the train 
was taken for Farmington. 

On arrival of the train at this depot the remains 
w r ere met by quite a gathering of citizens. The bear- 
ers were Rev. M. Holley, Daniel Beedy, A. T. 



Eulogies of John Allen. 133 

Tuck, W. L. Goodwin, B. Goodwin and Thomas B. 
Smith. Fifteen carriages containing relatives and 
friends, followed the hearse to Riverside Cemetery, 
where the last sad rites were performed, the service 
being conducted by Rev. L. H. Bean. Among the 
relatives present we noticed the son, John W. Allen 
and wife of Maiden, Mass. ; daughter, Mrs. Augusta 
Lothrop and tw T o daughters; son-in-law, L. W. 
Howes, Esq., and daughter; granddaughter, Mrs. 
W. F. Baldwin, all of Boston ; also the nephews, 
Rev. Drs. Stephen and Charles Allen. Dr. Charles 
Cullis, of Boston, and Rev. R. B. Howard, old 
friends of the deceased, also followed the remains. 

Arriving at Riverside the procession filed sadly 
through the main entrance, then turned and proceed- 
ed north a short distance to the Allen lot, which 
fronts the road, Rev. Mr. Bean in the meantime 
reading aloud from the burial service of the M. E. 
Church. Here a brief service was held, Dr. Cullis 
reading the 15th chapter of 1st Corinthians, and Revs. 
Howard and Bean reading selections of Scripture. 

The casket lid was removed and many friends 
took a last look at the face of the dead. After closing 
the lid a fervent prayer was offered by Dr. Cullis, 
followed by reciting the Lord's prayer in unison, and 
the benediction by Rev. R.B. Howard, after which 
the casket was lowered to its last resting place. 

The grave had been tastefully trimmed with ever- 
green, autumn leaves, choice flowers and vines, by 
the loving hands of friends, and after the casket had 
been lowered flowers and evergreen were thrown 
upon it by spectators, and the procession then slowly 
and sadly went away. 



134 Eulogies of John Allen. 

Reminiscences. Last winter Mr. Allen passed 
in Boston, and visitors to the law office of his son-in- 
law (L. W. Howes, Esq.,) often found him there 
chatty and happy. A reporter of the Boston Jour- 
nal interviewed him there, approaching him thus : 

" You were chaplain of the Maine legislature, I 
believe, Mr. Allen, for some time?" 

"Yes," was the quick response, and a smile of 
recollection lighted up his face ; " I gave 'era Scrip- 
ture in the legislature for two years, and didn't need 
a Bible, either. I can remember whole chapters by 
heart. Read them through and through, you know, 
but didn't try to commit them. I remember in the 
legislature I was called upon to pray for a gov- 
ernor — and he wasn't of the same politics as I. So I 
just prayed that he ' might be the best governor in 
the State, if possible.' Then there was another gov- 
ernor — and he differed from me, too. I prayed that 
he ; might be as wise as a serpent, and as harmless as 
a dove.'" 

" How did vou pray for the legislators, Mr. Al- 
len?" 

" The legislators? I just prayed, ' O Lord, enable 
them to condense and to be able to stop when they 
get through. ' One day I went to the Senate to offici- 
ate, and I prayed that the Lord might enable them to 
bring order out of chaos and confusion. The presi- 
dent reproved me for it, but I asked him if that wasn't 
what he wanted." 

The old gentleman heartily enjoyed his reminis- 
cences, and he was soon telling his interested audi- 
tors anecdote after anecdote of past experience. "I 
always keep a shot in the locker ready for use," he 



Eulocies of John Allen. 135 

declared. "One time I was on the boat between 
Boston and Portland, and improved the occasion by 
giving talks on the Bible. A man interrupted me 
and said he wanted to ask me a question, — what did 
I think of a man's breath being his soul. I didn't 
answer him then, and afterward he said he w 7 as a 
college graduate and was ready to answer any ques- 
tion any one might put. He wanted to know why I 
did not answer his question. I said I had no idea of 
loading a cannon to shoot a mosquito. Then he de- 
clared he only wanted to get up a discussion. Said 
I, well, you got one didn't you? In Maine once when 
we were voting on the liquor question a man came 
up beside me, and holding up a big 'no' ballot, de- 
clared he w r as going to vote that. Well, said I, your 
countenance voted before you." 

" One day," continued the veteran preacher 
clapping his feet together as he spoke, an occasional 
habit of his, " One day I w r as going to ride with my 
wife. She was quiet and retiring-like, very serious 
minded. I was helping her into the carriage when 
she says, 'John, I ain't so buoyant as when I was a 
girl.' 'No,' says I, ' and I ain't so gallant as when 
I was a boy.' Then, w r hen our conference was in ses- 
sion there was a meeting of the court at the same 
time. We were waiting for appointments, when up 
came a deputy sheriff and wanted to know what sta- 
tion he w 7 as going to be put on. ' Thomaston,' said I. 
(At Thomaston was the State prison.) ' But 
Thomaston isn't on the circuit,' said he. 'No, but 
it's a station, ' I replied. And do you know that six- 
teen years later that man was put in that prison?" 



136 Eulogies of John Allen. 

He was asked if he ever used manuscript. He 
never did. "I used to be at political conventions 
where Mr. Blaine was," he continued, " and I made 
a prayer there once, which Blaine wanted a copy of. 
He sent to me and offered compensation for a copy. 
I replied that I didn't write out my prayers, and if I 
did they were not for sale." 

" Do you read much nowadays? " 

" I read the newspapers every day." 

"Anything else?" 

" O, the Bible, the Bible, every day." 

Rev. Mr. Allen married one hundred and two 
couples, and he had many a tale to tell of the way he 
used to receive his pay, oftentimes in corn and pro- 
duce. One woman " wanted her name changed" — 
as Mr. Allen put it— so he married her to the "man." 
The happy husband, at the finis of the ceremony, 
pulled out nine shillings, declaring, as he handed them 
to the clergyman : "There, I think that's as much as 
it's worth." Quoth Mr. Allen instanter, "You've got 
a cheap concern, then." 

The Will. Rev. John Allen's will was drawn 
several years ago, but as it was kept in his house here 
it was destroyed in the great fire, with many other 
valuable papers, keepsakes, etc. A second will was 
drawn in May last, in which his nephew, Rev. Ste- 
phen Allen, D. D., was named as executor. He was 
not so wealthy, it appears, as many had supposed, his 
whole property amounting to but little, if any, over 
$3,000. As previously stated, when taken ill on the 
camp-meeting grounds he felt his end was near 5 so 
calling his executor and others into his cottage he ar- 



Eulogies of John Allen. 137 

ranged for the placing of a memorial window in the 
new Methodist Church here, giving his note for $300. 

We are informed that Mr. Allen's will contains 
the following bequests : 

Dr. Charles Cullis' church, of Boston, $50. 

Freeman Camp-Meeting Association, $50. 

Rev. Wm. Taylor's mission in Africa, $25. 

Domestic missions in Maine, $25. 

Susan Daggett, Farmington, for kind care and 
nursing, $25. 

The remainder, after all expenses are paid, 
amounting to a little over $2,000, is to be equally 
distributed among his legal heirs. 

Mr. Allen left a paid-up insurance policy on his 
life for $500. 

The will is to be probated in Boston, as no prop- 
erty was left in this county. 

The Boston Globe, a few days after Mr. Allen's 
death, had in its editorial columns, the following trib- 
ute to the aged clergyman : 

The person who invented the idea that man's life 
was not measured by clock ticks but by heart throbs, 
was partly right and considerably wrong. People 
may profess to make light of existence and look upon 
old age as a bore and nuisance as much as they 
please, yet a ripe old age is a thing much to be de- 
sired, and the only reason why more do not reach it 
is because they have to die in spite of themselves. 
There is no use in denying the fact that we all want 
to live and enjoy ourselves as long and as much as 
we can. All joy and hope are associated with life 
and health, and the man who said he had rather be a 



138 Eulogies of John Allen. 

live beggar than a dead king struck one of the richest 
nuggets of philosophy that has been taken from the 
mines of experience. 

No better illustration of the fact that life is a good 
thing is needed than the career of "Camp-Meeting 
John Allen," the eccentric divine, who lately died in 
Maine, while attending his three hundred and seventy- 
fourth camp-meeting. There was nothing remarkable 
about this man, save his vigor of mind and body. 
He was not a leader in thought or society. What 
gifts he had came from a masterly ability to with- 
stand the fatigues, both mental and physical, which 
wear out ordinary men and make them decay before 
their time. For a period which equals the average 
duration of human life he was 

A very abandoned young person, 
Making the most of evil chances, 

drinking hard cider and New England rum, getting 
into brawls and painting the backwoods red with ele- 
phantine hilarity. From his own statement his con- 
version was due to going to a camp-meeting for the 
purpose of " having a lark," when he was smitten 
with some electric shock from the preacher, and 
from that day on to the day of his death his ways 
never changed, and " he loved the things he hated 
and hated the things he loved." 

There is nothing very curious in all this. When 
the fires of youth are burned out and headaches from 
over indulgence grow worse and worse there is 
little or no merit in reformation. Men who become 
good because they can be bad no longer are not 
models for others to imitate. But this man was not a 



Eulogies of John Allen. 139 

physical wreck ; he was not debilitated by a constant 
round of dissipation. On the contrary he was yet in 
the full vigor of manhood, and though he spent the 
time of life in sin he had still enough of vitality left to 
last through the period of two human lives in right- 
eousness and w r ent out like a falling star, " trailing 
clouds of glory" behind him. 

Most of his life was pure and sw r eet and holy. 
The words of cheer he has uttered, the consolation he 
has given and the great good he has done cannot be 
over-estimated. But it was not for any of these that 
he won renown among the people. His talk was 
vigorous and pathetic, but there are hundreds of 
others equally so ; he was witty and kind-hearted, 
but all the wit and charity of his noble mind could 
not have given him the place which he holds in the 
hearts of the many people who knew him well and 
mourn his loss as that of a kind father. The most 
noticeable thing about Rev. John Allen was that a 
man who lived so long and did so much work should 
be so vigorous. He lived to see his grandchildren 
loved and famous, and retained his youth and frolic- 
some spirit even to the days of his great grandchild- 
ren. Other men grew crabbed, sour and old, w T hile 
he remained a perennial boy to the last. 

As his life and deeds became known, and succeed- 
ing decades passed over his venerable head, people 
grew to take an interest in him and to wonder how 
long he would last. They saw the sands of life slip- 
ping away from other glasses, while he seemed inex- 
haustible. In a few r years his life became typical of 
what they hoped theirs would be. If John Allen 
could reach ninety years there was hope for them, 



140 Eulogies of John Allen. 

and in his struggle for existence he fought the battle, 
for every man loves life and wants as much of it as he 
can get. 

And now at the age of ninety-two he has gone, 
the most popular if not the most famous clergyman in 
America. The town and state of his birth, the church 
of his adoption, all Christian people and the world at 
large rejoice that he has lived so long and feel sorry 
that he has died. There is but one man like him still 
alive, and he resides in the same state. His name is 
Neal Dow and his home is in Portland. Nearly ninety 
years of age, the General is still full of boyish vigor 
and able to stand unnumbered hardships. Many 
people do not agree with his way of thinking, but all 
admire the vitality and the energy of the man, and all 
loo,k to him as a pioneer who shall push the average 
duration of human life up and on until we shall live 
to the age of the patriarchs. 

Sweet rest to Rev. John Allen ; long life to General 
Neal Dow. 




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